Cursed Death
by Lord-Strath
Summary: Cursed Death is a Fanfic based in the Naruto Series after the conclusion of the battle between Shikamaru, Temari and Tayuya. This is a Tayuya centered story. ShikaXTayu YoshinoxShikaku pairing. "Surprise, chapter 14 is up!"
1. Prologue

Strath here saying I do not own naruto nor ever will so dont ask me.

**_I would like to say early on there are two OC(original characters) in here and they will not be set up with any cannon characters dispite how things may look early on, I have other plans for them as they will later be an importaint part of the story._**

**_Main pairing is ShikaTayu right now but will have some naruto relationship later on._**

* * *

High gusts of wind ripped through the forest as it was being shredded apart by the kunoichi know as Temari's attack quick beheading dance, decimated everything in its path. In a matter of moments the entire surrounding forest was leveled, Temari, along with Shikamaru, the ninja who she just saved from being defeated by the Sound Four's Tayuya, stood behind her and scanned the area as the dust and ruble cleared. What they were looking for was Tayuya herself, who after awhile was found by Temari under a tree dead. 

"Well, it's over" Temari said aloud as she turned to Shikamaru who was still stunned at the destructive power of Temari's attack and that the only opponent who was able to both out think him and beat him in combat was laying dead so easily. "We better head back Shikamaru. Do you intend to waste time burying her, or do you wanna return to the village and heal up and see how the others are doing?"

Shikamaru remained silent for a while. He felt that it wasn't right to leave her body like that even though she may have been his enemy, he did respect her abilities. However, he knew Temari was right; he needed to get back and check on his team. "Let's go Temari," he paused for a brief moment before finishing, "This was far more trouble than what it was worth." They soon left the scene, making their way back to Konoha to see how the others were doing.

Tayuya's body remained under the fallen debris; her last moments were slow and painful, as she was too battered and beaten by the force of the attack, thus rendering her unable to guard against the debris that fell on her, she lay there as she slowly lost consciousness and began to drift asleep as her body cooled.

The battle didn't just level the forest; it also attracted the attention of two passerby who couldn't help but look into the blast sound and the dust cloud that arose in the middle of the forest. Two figures over looked the battlefield, one being a tall 17 year old looking teen dressed in grey padded armor unassociated with any village, swinging a kunai around his middle finger on his right hand. His eyes were bright red and his hair a dirty grey, spiked and long, nearly blocking out his eyes. The other was a short hunched figure; he wore what appeared to be a rain coat and heavy, baggy clothing. Not much could be seen of his actual appearance or age at a glance.

"Well well, well, would you look at that Kamui? The crap really hit the fan there huh?" The tall figure said to the shorter one beside him.

"**...heh...**" The one known as Kamui responded cracking a smile out from under his hood.

"Well, it's good to see you're so energetic about it, want to take a closer look?" The figure laughed while beaming Kamui a smile and making a motion towards the devastated area, almost as if he were presenting a prize on a game show.

"**...death," **Kamui said pausing as he often did, **"I smell death Kuroshi ... a female ... and very recent…"** The hunched figure raised his arm and half his hand appeared lifting his finger to point out to the center of the destroyed area.

"Well well, well now, we really must go now don't we, Kamui? Who knows," a paused briefly, "We might even have a new friend if all goes well." With that, the one known as Kuroshi jumped off the edge of the mountain that they both stood on, and Kamui walked slowly off the edge to follow Kuroshi, who was now skipping down to the scene.

Kuroshi made his way to the pile of trees, being careful not to disturb them and cause an unwanted disturbance. As he nears, Kuroshi sees the girl's legs and lower torso dangling out from under the tree that lay over her stomach and chest. Kamui appeared behind him and stared at her legs. Kuroshi feeling Kamui behind him, turned around and noticed what held his companion's attention.

"Admiring the view ehh, ehh?" Kuroshi nagged

Kamui looked up, completely revealing his pure blue eyes as he grinned, "**...their nice...looks...very...s-soft...**" he stammered, a tint of lust in his voice.

"Indeed...allow me the honor of looking over the rest of her to assess the damage," Kuroshi said trying to regain his companion's attention. Again making a bowing gesture presenting the scene as if it was a prize that was won.

Kuroshi continued to carefully around the tree, but his movements stopped cold when her saw her face. He continued to look long at her face and body for a few moments; he felt such pity at the sight of her lay there dead. He was unable to take the look on her face out of his mind. She looked as if she was sleeping, as if she would wake up at any moment. He wondered what her eyes looked like, what her voice sounded like; her name, and even how she'd died.

Kamui grunted at to Kuroshi to get his attention, snapping him out of his thoughts. "**How is she ... brother?"**

Kuroshi turned around swiftly after hearing the impatience in Kamui's voice and responded coldly to his brother's question. "She has been dead only for a few minutes roughly; her cheeks are still colored and…" he placed his hand along her cheek flinching as he touched her, "…still warm with life that barely exists... Many cuts are all over her body, quite possibly a defensive stance before death from the looks of it... Her death being caused by... that tree there ... crushing her chest, breaking numerous ribs, crushing internal organs. It was a slow death from drowning in her own blood, more so then the impact of the tree..."

Kamui nodded and paced around her body; slowly looking her over and mentally agreeing with Kuroshi's assessment. "**...she can be...salvaged...with little..." **the shorter of the two started.

"I know... but do you want to, and is she acceptable to you? It would'nt take much to bring her back" Kuroshi questioned; face showing signs of cheerfulness once more. "It would be a waste to let this poor thing die so horrible." He finished while beaming Kamui another wide grin.

"**...heh..." **Was all Kamui mustered as he began making hand signs, signaling he was readying his special forbidden jutsu.

Kuroshi smiled at him and positioned himself standing above the tree then picking it up with moderate effort, so to make sure not to cause further damage the young woman's body. He lifted the large tree then threw it aside, afterwards he carefully picked up her body and disappeared with her.

Kamui jumped back away from the center of the mass of fallen forest and continued jumping backwards up the mountain to the spot he knew where, instinctively, that Kuroshi would take the girl; he continued making hand signs as he did so.

Tayuya's body lay carefully set out on leaves that had been presented in a bed like fashion by Kuroshi. They stood on opposite sides of her, perfectly matching each other handsigns. They had both preformed extensive medical jutsu to heal her body's physical wounds so they'd require less chakra and life energy for their special jutsu.

Both remained perfectly still, while still matching their hand signs perfectly and quickly as they continued mumbling. They finally broke from their indecipherable mumbling by screaming "**Shini no Totte Kai no Jutsu" **

As if the air itself pushed down on Tayuya's body, a loud pulse could be felt pressing down on the area. In a single instant, Tayuya's eyes popped open as she inhaled then sprang up. Tayuya screamed, "ARRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUHHHHHHhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuu..." for all her worth, before she fell back passing out, with her fingers dug deep into the dirt.

Kuroshi and Kamui stared at her, then at each other before Kuroshi broke the silence. "It worked...heheheh and her eyes were red!" Kuroshi smiled and laughed at their success, Kamui smiled back, but then fell back against a nearby tree in a heap. "That's right," Kuroshi then paused much in the same way as his brother did, "Take it easy and rest Kamui ... I will stay here at her side till she wakes up." Kamui nodded and hung his head low and was quickly sound asleep.

Kuroshi moved his gaze down to the young kunoichi and after a quick pause he said to her knowing she couldn't hear him. "You're a frightening one now aren't you...," He took in a long, slow, deep breath then said, "And now, the wait."

* * *

I would like to say here that the two character's Kuroshi and Kamui are original character's I created and are not based off anyone. 

Jutsu descriptions.

Name:Quick beheading dance

Description: A powerful Summoning jutsu used by Temari where she summons Kamatari a small weasel who carrys a massive scythe, the attack is extreamly fast and extreamly powerful due to the fact in mere moments the attack becomes unseen by human eyes(without vision enchancements such as kekei genkei) and can level entire forests in mere moments.

Type: A-Rank, offensive

Current user: Temari

Custom jutsu:

Name:**Shini no Totte Kai no Jutsu**: Forbidden Technique: Hand of Death Release.

Description: A ressurection jutsu both Kamui and Kuroshi posses that can ressurect a dead corpse with out a sacrifice. However the jutsu appears to put a massive strain on the caster where as one of the side effects is exhaustion and possibly chakra depletion, other side effects are unknown. This jutsu requires said corpse to be in good enough conditions so that the body can work unhindered by fatal wounds that would re-kill subject upon rebirth, these safe conditions limit use to relitivly lightly damaged bodys, usage on damaged beyound repare corpses is currently unknown.

Type: Forbidden S-Rank

Current users: Kamui and Kuroshi.


	2. A New Days Light

_Strath here, sorry for the delay but chapter 2 is finaly here._

_I dont own naruto or its characters._

Hours passed as Kuroshi stood guard over his brother Kamui, and the young female who was still recovering from her "near death" experience. He grew bored but never left his spot even as hunger and thirst set in. He continued to remain on guard until something came to pass. The evening turned to night, when finally the sounds of the young woman's grunts and moans broke the silence and Kuroshi's boredom.

"Urgh," Tayuya grunted as she clenched her stomach and ribs before she finally opened her eyes to look around as a pained expression still griped her face. She quickly sat up, this time with less pain, and fiercely looked around. "Where's that bitch and that fucking rat!!!?" She roared as she once again sat half way up, only to realize that night had fallen. "Wh… wha?!" Her voice dropped in tone as she realized she was bandaged and laying in a small camp.

"Confusion... and disorientation are common among the newly alive." Softly replied Kuroshi as he sat down across from her on a log then waited to hear her reply. He knew, though despite his impatience, that now was a time for him to listen and not ask questions.

Tayuya's eye's narrowed with fright at the realization of his words. _"I died!!!?... They killed me; those weak fucking scum actually killed me?!"_ she thought to herself, while her face mirrored said thoughts. Then she looked up at the man sitting in front of her, with a mixed expression of confusion and anger on her face.

"Do not worry, you're safe now..." He began gesturing with his hands as to what her name was.

"Who," Tayuya glared directly at him demandingly, "The fuck are you?!"

Kuroshi took a moment as he stood up over her and bent down closer to her and softly spoke while looking her in the eyes caringly. "My name is Kuroshi," he paused and bowed to her while pointing his right arm backwards towards a nearby tree, "And that is my brother Kamui sleeping in the corner, we found you shortly after whatever caused your death happened." Kuroshi paused when he seen her reaction to the words, 'your death.' He then continued. "We took it upon ourselves to revive you... I hope you don't mind being brought back against your will." Again he tried to beam a smile at her.

Tayuya looked around in utter confusion seeing the figure that Kuroshi pointed out moments ago and the small camp she sat in, she then looked over her wounds and where they once were. She was astonished how much she had recovered, as if she hadn't been in a battle that to her felt only happened only minutes ago. "So... I'm alive," she whispered as her face slowly formed a sinister smile and she looked down at her hands. "Hehehehehahahahahahahah!" she started laughing hysterically.

Kuroshi smiled nervously at her, she really was a frightening one to him, but that aside he had to explain to her the situation before Kamui awoke to see her awake as well. "So what happened to you..." he once again gestured with his hands, "Um, what is your name miss?" he asked, wrapping his sentence up and putting his hands behind his head.

"Tayuya, of the Sound Four!" she said with a clear and booming voice filled with pride and confidence, perking the ears of Kamui.

"Tayuya... what a lovely name you have, but I'm sorry to say that I never heard of the Sound Four before... I take it that you're a ninja?"

"Yea I'm a ninja, dipshit!" she spat, then quickly asked, "You sure you've never heard of the Sound Four?"

"N-never heard of them, sorry," he repeated again after thinking a second time, after which he began scratching the back of his head.

Tayuya was annoyed now and was beginning to grow more violent, right now all she wanted was to get her revenge against that blond headed bitch and that rat faced shit. Orochimaru, her group, and the mission to get Sasuke back, these were the things that were important to her right now, not being the center of attention to this... freak and his sleeping bag of a partner.

"Since you saved my life... I won't kill you; I have a mission to complete for Orochimaru, I don't have time to deal with you!" With that Tayuya got up taking off the blanket that was placed on her and stood up before Kuroshi who admired her figure in both mind and body.

"Saved?" Kuroshi said with an inquisitive face, "We didn't save you from dying; no, we brought you back from death's grasp to the land of the living, very selflessly I might add," Kuroshi went on to say as he stood up in front of her.

Tayuya took a defensive stance, readying herself to kill him where he stood, but he raised his hand up to her to signal her to stop giving him a cold glare. "No need to become violent, we are not going keep you here against your will or anything, you need to rest though. If you have somewhere to go we will accompany you there, but please rest for now. You may be a formidable kunoichi, but can't you see how weak you have become now?"

Tayuya grunted at his words, she knew she was in no shape to fight at the moment, on top of that glimpses of the battle stilled ringed in her head and seeing once again her own death made a cold chill to creep through her veins. She _did not_ want to feel that again, so she dropped her fist for the time being.

"You damn shit... fine I will rest but first, why did you bring me back?" Tayuya said expecting to hear the worst case from the man before her, as she slowly moved her right hand across her stomach, still feeling where the tree had crushed her.

"**Heheh... because you were dead... and we... could help fix that... is that not right brother?" **Having said that, Kamui stood up, still retaining his hunched posture and making his height much shorter than that of Tayuya's. He walked over with fish on a stick in his hands, two per hand, and placed them over the fire to roast a while before they would be eaten.

Tayuya noticed that the one in the corner was still there until he too got up and took the fish as the one in front of the fire disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"You've been awake all this time I see, dear brother. Heheh, you never change... So do you agree to help Tayuya with her mission?" Kuroshi acted as if their actions weren't weird at all and Tayuya couldn't figure out if they were being serious or not. No one had ever helped her for nothing, so much as these two had, and though she wouldn't trust them, she could tell a fight right now wasn't in her best interest.

Kamui took hold of his hood and peeled it off his head to reveal his pure blue eyes and shockingly pale face as if it was covered in chalk. His age was equally a surprise for he was very young, possibly twelve years old at the most, and yet despite this, his eyes had heavy, dark bags under them and his face was clean, as if he never took a punch in his life. Seeing this, Tayuya severely questioned if he was a ninja, regardless that his speech creped her out more so then Orochimaru's voice. But what creped her out the most was his smile, it never let up. That smile, combined with his gaze and face, was too much for her to take so she looked away and decided not to make eye contact with him.

**"We will... help her brother... if... Tay-yu-ya wish's us too..." **Kamui said with a nervous stutter,and with that, he grabbed a fish and began to eat it; turning around after sensing the girls... repulsive response to him, but he no longer cared for such reactions. Kuroshi motioned Tayuya to grab a fishas he took one and began eating as well.

"Don't worry it's free and our specialty if I might add. We're used to cooking it, aren't we Kamui?" Kamui grunted as he slowly munched on the meal, but Kuroshi knew he was enjoying it, so he continued talking in his speedy manure to Tayuya who grabbed the two of the still roasting fish and dug her teeth into one at a time in a manner-less, tomboyish fashion. As her pain faded her hunger grew apparent since she scarfed down the remaining food they had taken with then before shaking her head loosening her hair along her upper back.

"You guy's ain't so bad you know. So, you's got any more shit to eat?" Tayuya asked harshly as she wiped her mouth then grabbed a bottle of sake and scoffed it down in one shot, after which she quickly grabbed another bottle, only to be displeased it was only water, but she guzzled it down regardless.

"So Miss Tayuya, what are your plans; you said you wanted revenge against a bitch and a rat. Are they the ones who left you in such horrible shape back there?" Kuroshi asked as he crossed his arms wondering what was going to happen next.

"You bet your fucking ass I'm going to kill those two fucking shits; they didn't just interfere in my mission, they fucking killed me?!! Weak fucking shits..." she continued like this for a few minutes in an enraged rant, "Broke my flute, double teamed me, then left me for fucking dead, fucking dead!!" she roared. She then began to laugh at the thought of it, "If it wasn't for that blonde headed whore, I would have slit that rat's neck and been done with him once and for all!" She looked down at her hands remembering how her jutsu sliced her up while she blocked, before the forest toppled her. "I will kill that bitch and that rat and all their fucking friends if I ever get the chance..." she finally finished in a huff, followed by looking up at Kuroshi and Kamui's bewildered faces. It might have been the effects of the sake, but her cheeks flushed a faintly bright red and looked away with a frown at her outburst.

Kuroshi placed his forefinger against his forehead and thought a moment before saying, "From what you said you have my full support for your revenge. We will escort you wherever you want to go in the morning once you're ready; is that acceptable Tayuya of the Sound Four?"

"Yeah, yeah whatever; revenge against that fucking bitch and rat will have to wait. I must return to Orochimaru-sama before anything else and see how his plans went. I can't wait to see the look on those shits faces though when I'm about to gut them like fucking pigs!"

She clenched her fists then laid back and rested her head before continuing, "Oh, and if you's fucking try and touch me while I sleep I'll slice your dicks off and feed them to you!" her eyes narrowed with fierce intensity as she regained her confidence and energy slightly.

Kamui and Kuroshi both laughed nervously at the foul mouthed girl's words. They were both happy to see she recovered so much, unlike a few other "tries" they had taken in the past; they secretly thanked the souls of their previous attempts for allowing them to better perfect their ability to restore this young girl so well.

"Then we leave in the morning, I can't wait to see where this takes us!" Kuroshi said happily awaiting the coming chaos that would soon ensue.

After he said this, Kamui again rested against the tree he had rested against before, while Tayuya rolled over and plotted the deaths of those who had done her such disgrace, among other things. She could care less about spending the night with these two freaks, as long as they were willing to help her accomplish her goals. Kuroshi stayed watch again but so did Tayuya, not wanting to fall asleep before them, but she quickly drifted asleep due to the alcohol she earlier consumed.

The morning was soon approaching and the wind itself was restless with anticipation.

As Tayuya awoke with the rising sun's light washing over her face, she noticed Kamui and Kuroshi were already moving about, removing any signs there had been a camp there. It was then she realized she knew nothing about these two guys besides their names and their ability to resurrect the dead, a fact she still found herself trying not to really believe. It was this that made her question her hosts, since they would be helping her get back to Orochimaru's hidden base.

"So what's the deal with you guys!?" she shouted, "Why in the hell were you out here, and why the hell did you bring me back?!" This time she wanted a direct answer with no half assed excuse.

Before Kuroshi could respond, Kamui uncharacteristically answered first, as he placed both his hands in the opposite sleeves. "**We are wanderers... no village of our own... we search for meaning of... our existence... in this world, so we wander... aimlessly... perfect our jutsu... find home where we will... belong..."** he finished the broken sentence in his usual way.With that he turned around with a frown on his face, but quickly replaced it with his generic smile. Kuroshi stared at his brother for a moment before continuing what Kamui had started after seeing that so confusion remained on Tayuya's face.

"You see, we don't have a village of which we belong too," Kuroshi said quickly. "We're not easily accepted by other villages either...which is too say there are no villages we even want to belong too. So we just travel around, from town to town, and just live life on the road like nomads or something like that... Also, we're Genjutsu specialists if you haven't figured; we quickly healed your wounds and body with little effort. Where we were from was kinda a cesspool for Genjutsu, so we inherited them. We saw you dead and revived you since we could," he paused to catch his breath after rushing through his sentence as fast as possible. "We're helping you 'cause we have nothing else to do plus... we like you Tayuya!" he shouted with a burst of uncharacteristic cheer. "You're such an interesting person, how can we not help you?!"

Tayuya didn't know how to respond to that; she didn't think he would say she was interesting but regardless, at least she got an answer, so she just dropped it and didn't respond back to them.

As they were ready to leave camp and follow Tayuya to Orochimaru's base, Tayuya remembered her flute as she pressed her hand to her right thigh where she usually placed it when she didn't play it. "FUCK!" she shouted, remembering that her only weapon and the main instrument of her Genjutsu had been destroyed at the hands of the blonde headed woman who killed her.

Both Kamui and Kuroshi turned their attention to her. "What's the matter Tayuya?" Kuroshi asked selflessly with care.

"My flute... That damn bitch broke it before she killed me; I need it to perform genjutsu, and it's the only weapon I carry... THIS FUCKING SUCKS!!!" She continued yelling and began stomping her foot against a log imagining the blonde girls skull being there in its place as she stomped.

Kamui paused, and then shuffled through his sleeves to remove sliced chunks of what once was her flute. Tayuya's eyes widened at the sight of her Genjutsu flute. He held the pieces out to her with both hands and she carefully took them, and with her eye's shaking with anger, she silently vowed she would make that bitch pay with her life for everything that had happened to her.

"**I found it... after we found you... same scent..." **Kamui said in his broken speech, then placing his hands back into his pockets, he turned around and started to walk away.

Kuroshi shrugged heartedly at her, before saying, "I can fix it when we get a chance in the same way we fixed you up pretty much. Now by all means, lead the way to this Orochimaru fellow, and in the meantime I will try fixing your dear flute, okay?" He held his hands out to retrieve the flute pieces that Tayuya reluctantly placed in them after much hesitation and thought.

Tayuya swished her long red hair as she turned and began walking in the direction of Orochimaru's base, with both Kamui and Kuroshi following her, content to have a destination and someone to lead them for once.

"Let me do the talking fools or you might end up dead you got that?!" she said giving them a stern warning as she walked.

"We understand; we won't make a scene when we get there," Kuroshi said confidently with a faint smile.

Kuroshi linked his mind with Kamui's telepathically and said, "_That Orochimaru might remember you brother, please be careful or we may have to cause another night of the dead event… And such a shame that would be for our new friend here..." _After hearing the message Kamui nodded as he continued walking with a smile. Within hours they would make it to the compound, there the events of the world itself would begin to change.


	3. Lost Hope

The sun was high in the sky as the three travelers made their way through the forest while steadily walking to Orochimaru's hidden base. Tayuya insisted that they move faster but Kuroshi steadily insisted they don't since Kamui doesn't like to run...an excuse that infuriated Tayuya enough that she threatened to leave them behind on several occasions but never did.

Possibly three hours went by as they traveled before they had their main break before completing their trek to the base. They stopped and Kuroshi set up a small camp as he often did even if they were going to be there for only a few minutes, he liked to set up a "home like" atmosphere so he and Kamui would feel more at ease in their travels.

Kuroshi was overjoyed that Tayuya remained with them on the travels and didn't try and run away as she so often warned, this happiness though would bring him pain as he made his first big mistake while talking to her...

"Tayuya-chan," he shouted while standing behind her after setting up camp, "Everything is set up, feel free to take it easy and rest!" He finished with a smile after he completed his sentence in record time.

"What the fuck did you just call me, you useless shit?!" as she raised her voice she spun around and punched Kuroshi dead on in the throat with enough force to make him cough out blood a moment after impact.

Kuroshi staggered back with his left hand gripping his throat and his right desperately trying to grab something to hold him up before he tripped over a tree branch and fell to the ground with blunt force. Tayuya standing over him with her fist gripped hard together and her eyes centered on him with killer intent.

"Nobody, and I mean nobody, has any right to call me that, you fucking bastard!!!"

Kamui watched the whole thing keeping his face concealed under his hood, so it was unknown if he found amusement or discontentment at what had just happened. He simply turned around in his hunched posture and continued replacing old water with new water slowly and carefully.

While lying on the ground Kuroshi raised his legs so that they over lapped his head before he dismounted the ground with a front flip, he showed no signs of injury nor anger at being violently attacked with his guard down. He simply put on a nervous smile while closing his eyes and putting his right hand behind his head to scratch it removing dirt and grass.

"Why can't I call you Tayuya-chan?" he retorted as if the attack had never occurred, "But, if you don't want me too I won't, I had no intention of offending you," he finally concluded; this time he spoke his sentence at slower pace, revealing a sense of matureness in his voice, as well as sincerity.

Tayuya was shocked at the rate he recovered, she knew she hit him directly before he had a chance to raise his guard. She had never seen such fast recovery from any other ninja before save for Orochimaru when he fought off weaker opponents.

"D-don't call me that again, y-you have no place in saying that to me... you stupid dumbass," her voice trailed off midway in her sentence; she was both enraged and confused for no one had ever called her "Tayuya-chan," in her entire life, besides Sakon, who after saying it had his arm broken by her. She despised being called that because to her no one had the right to refer to her as someone they _knew_ and are close too since she herself is close to no one.

"I will remember that, I am going to rest a bit, please wake me up before we move out Kamui..." Trying to forget the whole situation Kuroshi quickly lay down on the cool ground and began to rest and quickly drifted into sleep. Kamui sat in front of him and crossed his legs much to the distress of his coat and meditated silently.

Tayuya who felt as if she had offended them, she grew more angry and made the attempt of drinking mostly all their water so that they would have to go out later and get some more. In between guzzles she began to wonder what awaited her when she got there to Orochimaru's side, would he kill her if the mission was a failure... would he kill her if it succeeded... she began to wonder with dread, for all she knew she was walking to her death... again. After a few moments of quiet contemplation she turned her attention to Kuroshi who was curled up in the fetal position on the ground and shook like a helpless child, she couldn't help but stare at how helpless he looked yet she didn't resent this display in fact she even envied his ability to rest with his defenses down like that as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Meanwhile at Orochimaru's hidden base, Orochimaru and Kabuto conversed in the snake master's room, deep underground, which few of his ninja ever saw. "Orochimaru-sama, how are you feeling after your transfer?" Kabuto asked sensing Orochimaru was most unpleased with having to transfer his soul to anyone other than Sasuke who was still yet to arrive, him or his elite sound ninja's.

"What do you think, Kabuto?!" the snake master hissed in rage, "No one has returned yet; I do not have Sasuke-kun's body and I no longer feel the seal marks of my elites. I am surrounded by incompetent fool's left and right; my arms alone were more capable then any of these fodder!" Orochimaru bated his right arm into a nearby lamp utterly destroying it beyond repair.

Kabuto pressed his glasses up against his face to reposition them as he sighed at his master's rage and anger, as he did so a knocking nervously sounding was heard on the door, Orochimaru could tell he wasn't going to be pleased with whatever news was going to be. "What is it?!" he shouted in a fit of rage,

"Orochimaru-sama, I have news of the Sound Four... They have all been defeated in battle..."

There was a pause in the room for a moment as Orochimaru processed this in his mind. "So... They failed me?!! " The snake master smashed his head through the wooden door scaring the messenger senseless while readying to kill him with his tongue.

"W-we found most of their bodies my lord... and have confirmation from our insiders that that they were killed in battle; howev- ughh!" Orochimaru cut him short as he stabbed the messenger through his throat with his sword Kusanagi then continued to sever it right off in a gruesome fashion.

"Was that really necessary lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto commented, slightly irritated with how often people have to die around him when there just doing their job.

"Their all useless in the end Kabuto, even my elite have failed and are all dead... I have lost Sasuke-kun and for the time being... I'm stuck in this second rate body!!!" he continued to hiss and roar with all his might.

As he did another sound ninja turned the hall to see the gruesome scene, he held in his hands a written report to hand to the poor ninja who lie dead before him. "W-we f-found Sasuke-sama, Orochimaru-sama!!!" his voice broke as he lay against the wall having just pissed himself in fright and fear for his life.

"What?!" the snake Sannin screamed with surprise and masked joy. Kabuto's glasses flared white as he looked at the events.

"Orochimaru-sama, he is at the entrance of this compound as we speak." The sound ninja quickly handed the report to Kabuto as Orochimaru rushed up the base to claim his prize.

"Hmmm... so we retrieved the bodies of Jirōbō and Kidomaru after they were killed, while Suna or Konoha now possess the bodies of Sakon and Ukon after _he_ was killed... Hmmm, Tayuya is listed missing?" Kabuto read over the report with interest making sure to relay it to Orochimaru once he is able too. "Why is Tayuya reported missing?" Kabuto questioned intently.

"We have confirmed that she fought against Konoha ninja's and that she was defeated and labeled by them as dead but we were unable to locate her body at the scene of the battle, our trackers were unable to track her... It is possible perhaps that they retrieved or disposed of her body after the fight and our intelligence haven't discovered that yet."

"Very well, you are dismissed..." Kabuto paused, "Oh, and do make sure to have someone take care of this mess, it had better not still be here when Orochimaru return's.

Kabuto grinned to him as he slapped the report three time's against the wall as he walked by the sound ninja as he made his way to greet their new guest.

The sound ninja hastily dragged the body and head out of the hallway and placed it in another room desperately trying to clean up as much as possible before Orochimaru returned and would kill him as well.

At the entrance of the main door's to Orochimaru underground base stood Sasuke Uchiha who was battered, with a broken left arm, from his fight, with his former best friend, Naruto, who he was just able to suppress by reaching level two of his curse seal. He waited for Orochimaru to arrive so he stood there and huffed off the effects of his fight, when Orochimaru's ghost like figure made its appearance as he walked up the stairs with a devilish grin along his pale face.

"I knew you would make it here Sasuke Uchiha, you are very special after all," the snake Sannin hissed with confidence and joy.

Sasuke looked Orochimaru over, displeased to see he wasn't at his best, "Hn," was all Sasuke bothered to retort to his new sensei.

"Come my dear Sasuke-kun; I have much to teach you!" Sasuke then followed him into their base only to be soon followed by Kabuto still gripping tightly onto the report he didn't see any time soon of telling lord Orochimaru about.

Meanwhile Kuroshi awoken to find a large portion of their provisions had been eaten and drank, also that Tayuya was busy kicking a tree continuously trying to be in the best of shape when she confronts Orochimaru, she figured if the worst came to pass she wanted to at least get a few hit's in.

"You know you would probably be paralyzed if you had survived Tayuya-ch... changing you to be unable to perform kicks," Kuroshi said nervously catching himself before calling her Tayuya-chan again. Right now he was just trying to make conversation...any conversation he could despite the fact he again rushed this sentence with incredible speed.

Shocked at those word's she tried to imagine her life as a worthless paralyzed ninja under Orochimaru, _"Heheh... he would kill me right of the damn bat if I was that useless to him..." _she thought to herself before even considering the fact Kuroshi was watching her. "So you think I owe you's something for saving me huh?!" Kuroshi remained silent, it's obvious to him that Tayuya did owe both him and his brother, but he didn't really want anything but her friendship, but that appeared to be in serious question, as she was far to hostile to let that happen. "Well, what the fuck do you's fucking want, huh?!" she screamed snapping Kuroshi out of thought.

"I am happy... that you're simply alive you can say... second chances are rare in this world, so I am just happy we were able to give you that chance Tayuya" his voice riddled with emotional pain as he slowly spoke, which Tayuya could clearly tell that he knew what it felt like to suffer, but she decided she didn't care and wasn't going to continue the topic. To her right now, she figured she would have been better off left dead.

"So," Tayuya said changing the subject, "What the hell's with you and your freaking attitude changes?! I'm sick and tired of you contently going back and forth from being a loud annoying shithead to a loving caring shithead!!!"

Without a moment's notice, Kuroshi responded darkly in a voice that made even Tayuya frightened, "It's because I'm nothing."

"N-nothing?" she said feeling there was something about the way he said it that felt completely uncomfortable.

"Yes, I am nothing; so I can be anything people require of me... for Kamui I entertain him, make him laugh regardless of the expense to me... that is my life nothing more."

Tayuya remained quiet, in a way she knew what the grey haired ninja meant but there was another meaning behind his dark word' she couldn't understand. But this she felt was enough for her to take in.

"Let's move our asses to Orochimaru's base before he decides to chop off all our head's when we finally do get there," Tayuya said with a weak voice, deeply considering that to actually be a high possibility. She paused considering then said, "You don't need to follow me into the base okay shithead, just continue on and forget about me got it?"

"You expect death, don't you?" A chill ran down her spine at his words. "Don't try to lie Tayuya, I can see it written on your face; you don't have to go back if you don't want to," he finally finished waiting for a barrage of curse words and threats.

Putting her anger and rage aside the young woman finally responded, "Follow me beyond the front gates if you want, shithead, if you really care so fucking much then don't let them kill me... I would love to see that you fucking grey headed... cotton ball looking son of a bitch!" she said barely stringing her insults together.

"That's what I intended all along; if they try I will kill them," his voice, posture, and mannerisms were completely different now; she now notice when Kamui wasn't around he became a completely different person to her, from the confidence in his word's she could tell he at least believed he could meet his claim.

"Let's just go loser... where'd coat boy go anyways, I haven't seen or heard from his lame ass all day?" she wasn't in the mood for her usual insults so she maintained asking fairly normal questions.

Kuroshi pondered for a moment, then finally said in the voice he uses when he is around Kamui "Oh, he must be taking a bath somewhere!" nodding to himself, while beaming the redhead a smile.

"I'm surprised he baths; every time he's close, he smells like fucking dirt and shit..." Tayuya really did resent the smell he had whenever he was around, but it was somehow familiar to her, a smell she had smelt before yet couldn't place in her mind.

"There's a reason for that, however you would really prefer not to know," Kuroshi's voice returned to the slow pace that he used when he and Tayuya were alone.

A little surprised and offended that _she_ an elite ninja would be scared of a child's hygiene problem. "Test me dipshit; I'm not some weak freighted girl who freaks out why someone smells bad!!!"

"You've seen how pale he is correct?" Kuroshi responded coldly before continuing "He is smeared with the ashes and graveyard soil of our mother and clan..." he finished by walking away in the direction Tayuya had pointed out when they first reached the area, and pointed that that was the way they'd continue, he didn't even bother to look at Tayuya's horrified face as she acknowledged his words.

"_He is wearing fucking dead people... what the fuck are these freaking guys?!"_ Her eyes were still wide with all sorts of thoughts running through her head, one being, _"Would that freak have worn me?!!!!"_

"That's sick!" she finally said unsure of how loud her voice just was.

"It wasn't his idea," he retorted back continuing his pace.

With that a noise came from the bushes that put Tayuya on alert mode, as she turned around raising both her fist in the air, only to see that familiar dark brown coat and hood. Even after realizing it was Kamui she kept her guard up slightly as he walked but in his usual hunched style letting his arms swing limp in front of him swaying with each passing movement.

"**...heheh... do not fear... only me... only" **he had a tint of sadness in his voice now, **"****me..." **He continued walking past her and against her will she quickly took in a breath through her nose, trying to confirm the smell to herself, but was unable too. Feeling depressed, angered, and understandably freaked out, she muttered, "This has got to be the worst week of my fucking life!!!" Then she followed them with a hastened pace, remembering that _she,_ was suppose to be leading the way.

Less than half an hour later, they stood at the gates of a small mini fortress surrounded by trees, in the middle of the forest.

"Who goes there?!" a sound ninja shouted as they approached the gate's.

Angered that he didn't recognize her, Tayuya decided to unleash all her pent up rage on the poor soul. "What are you fucking blind?! I'm Tayuya, of the Sound Four, you fucking moron; one of Orochimaru-sama's elite ninja, unlike your pathetic, sorry ass who's left watching a fucking gate all day, and can't even confirm one of your own comrades when you fucking see them!!! Now, open this fucking gate before I cut your balls off and choke you with them, shithead!!!"

**"Heheheh... brother, I am glad we came with her... heeheh, even if this... is the extent..."** He looked up at the guard who was now scared so shitless, because he made a horrid mistake to not identify one of Orochimaru-sama's most valued ninja. Kuroshi gave a chuckle as well before also beaming a glare at the scared guard.

"M-my apologies, Tayuya-sama i-it's j-just we heard you we-were d-dead, along with the rest of your squad."

Tayuya froze when she heard that, she understood that she was beaten barely, but that the rest of them had been completely wiped out as well... It was too much for her to bare or believe; she may not have particularly cared for any of them, but the fact that the entire (She reluctantly counted herself) Sound Four had been decimated on one mission, really hit her.

"I will open the gates immediately so you may report directly to Orochimaru-sama about your mission's success!"

_"Success... so Sasuke-sama made it to Orochimaru... then why is everyone fucking dead?! There's no more Sound Four... What the fuck is going on here?! Those weak Leaf fuckers will pay!!!"_

The gates opened snapping her out of her thoughts. "Come come Tayuya, this Orochimaru should be glad your mission was a success; I'm sure he misses your beaming red eyes," Kuroshi rushed through in his normal _Kamui_ voice, as Tayuya now referred to it mentally.

"My eyes are brown you fucking moron...are you as blind as this fucking guard here?" her voice was cold and low in tone.

"Figures... I'm color blind to brown... I only see red whenever I look at brown..."

"You really are fucked up more than I thought... your life must suck seeing red all the time... oh and my hair is red in case you think it's fucking brown," she finally added as she marched into the base expecting a fight.

Kamui walked closely besides Kuroshi he looked down at the ground. **"Why'd you lie brother? Or have I failed... in you design?" **

"No reason really, but I really did think they were red... My eye sight must be failing me in my old age hahah!" he laughed off Kamui's concern before following Tayuya into the base. Kamui paused then slowly followed behind. The guard was worried that two unknown people were present with her but he dare not make another statement to her for fear of his life, he simply nodded them in and returned to his post.

As they descended into the underground tunnel after passing many surprised guards and ninja, Tayuya finally made it to the corridor Orochimaru made his nest in, but paused when they heard a man's voice arguing down the hallway, out of the broken door Orochimaru resided behind.

"There's no point to that now Kabuto, Sasuke Uchiha is mine now; their mission succeeded regardless of the loss of their lives. While it is mournful indeed to lose five of our best, Sasuke-kun more than makes up for it don't you agree?"

"Y-yes Orochimaru-sama, but we still haven't confirmed Tayuya's death; she may be still alive," Kabuto replied, trying to at least get his master to see his point, and that he should at least act like they mattered to him.

"Kabuto... don't argue with me; their mission was a success and their deaths are an acceptable loss since they succeeded; right now I should be preparing Sasuke-kun with all that I know in preparation of him becoming my new body! "

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," he bowed before walking away under the debris of the shattered door and entered the hall, to see the sight of Tayuya beside herself, after hearing her master's conversation with Kabuto, as well as seeing the two strange figures standing on each side her. He stared at Tayuya in the center, then the tall grey spiky haired one to the right of her, and finally at the hunched, seemingly lifeless, short one to the left of her, before looking back at Tayuya and readjusting his glasses with his index finger.

"Orochimaru-sama..." Kabuto called over without taking his eyes off the three of them.

"What is it Kabuto; you already have my answer?!!!" he hissed back gathering all the scrolls and jutsu notes he could.

"It's Tayuya of the Sound Four and two unknown men standing in the hall."

"What?!" Orochimaru shouted before slithering his way into the hallway hastily half expecting Leaf ninja to be among her escort.

"Orochimaru-sama, it's me, Tayuya of the Sound Four," was the only sentence she could possibly muster out, since she already knew he didn't care that she and her team had been wiped out, so long as Sasuke returned on his own accord. Now, more than ever, she wished those two shitheads left her dead under a pile of timber then have to be here for this!

Meanwhile, the entire time, Kuroshi and Kamui have been communicating back and forth with each other about Tayuya's current state and what to do if Orochimaru remembers Kamui. Kuroshi was happy though, that moments ago he handed Tayuya her fixed flute while they were on the staircase coming down; that way, if worst came to worst, she would have a fighting chance of her own, although he knew not of what possible abilities she would have with it.

"Ah, welcome back Tayuya; I feared we had lost you," Orochimaru said cheerfully.

"_Liar?!!!!" _she screamed in her head

"Regrettably, the rest of your team was not so fortunate."

"_Fuck you, you pale hissing bitch!!!!!"_ her thoughts continued storming.

"But you should be glad that your mission was not a failure, for we received Sasuke Uchiha because of your team's undying loyalty," the snake master continued.

"_Fuck that suicide mission, you pedo-fag!!!!!" _she roared once more in her head.

"And who might these two gentlemen be with you?" he asked not yet lowering his guard.

"T-they are two vagabonds who aided me after my battle with one of the Leaf's retrieval teams," she was about to add they saved her life, but felt that would be a further disgrace to her.

"Which country do you serve?" the snake Sannin hissed, not satisfied enough with her answer.

Tayuya began to sweat since she herself did not know the answer; she hadn't even realized Orochimaru hadn't even directed it towards her.

Kuroshi broke the plastered smile he now wore and responded very hastily, as was his fashion, "We are simple nomad ninja, loyal to no country or village, but I am truly humbled to be in the presence of such an honored ninja of your reputation," he finished by bowing on one knee as he often did with Kamui before commenting how Tayuya was such a strong ninja. "_My my my... he is truly a frightening one; even after all this time he never changed hmm."_

The snake Sannin then looked at the hunched figure who only nodded, that further raised a little suspicion but decided it wasn't worth pursuing. "Well, I am pleased to have you in my presence again Tayuya, as well as you two vagabond ninja, but there is pressing issues I must attend too; I have left Sasuke-kun waiting for far too long. Kabuto, please tend to our guests' needs and see that Tayuya is properly informed of everything while I am away, will you?" he then made his way past the three ninja only to catch a slight familiar scent in the air and also not noticing Tayuya's balled fist she forced herself from unleashing.

"Tayuya, esteemed travelers, please follow me; I will debrief you on our current status as well as tend to any needs you require for your stay," Kabuto said this indifferently to each of them, which might as well have meant he was including Tayuya as one who was going to be having a short stay as well.

"_Smug fucking four eyed freak!!! How dare you lug me in with them so commonly, I bet he has you lick his balls on command!!!" _Her mental curses didn't let up for a great deal of time.

Kuroshi and Kamui simply nodded and followed the condescending individual; relieved that Orochimaru hadn't remembered the small boy he enjoyed to torment while his village remained among the living.

"Oh, Tayuya, we have much to discuss privately," he said still holding on to the report regarding the deaths of her teammates.

"I understand..." she replied with a strained softness. _"__I hope the sun burns holes through your fucking eyes one day, you fucking ass kissing bitch!"_ her endless cursing continuing. She then followed Kabuto into a nearby room, while Kuroshi and Kamui waited impatiently in the hall.

"I wonder what happens next, eh, Kamui?" Kuroshi said while elbowing Kamui lightly in the shoulder.

**"Eheheheh... I cannot wait... brother..."**

**

* * *

**

Strath here again, The third chapter is finaly up, and well i decided to cut the story into two brances much like the Naruto series it self. Chapters 1-6 will be pre time skip and 7+ will be after. I decided to keep all pairings and the lime/lemon scenes that follow untill after the characters have grown up alittle all though you can see afew pairings begin to form in chapters 5 and 6, im actualy the sedistic type who wont have them listed untill they begin to manifest in the story. I would like to let those who care enough to see how the story unfolds that i intend to finish it. Thank you to those who continue to read it and i am open to idea's and suggestions. Also i would like to thank Frace for whom with out his time and proof reading and editing this story would not be what it is today.

* * *


	4. Den Of Snakes, Entrapment And Freedom

Disclaimer:Do not own naruto.

After a moment of hesitation Tayuya followed the shifty Kabuto into the small conference room, it wasn't normal for her to be in meetings like this alone or with...her team mates. The room contained to couches opposite to each other with a table in the middle that contained a glass holding a single red rose. There was also a vending machine in the corner of the room. He choused this of all places to hold an important meeting concerning her future and involving everything that had happened in her absents.

Kabuto sat in a slumped posture holding a small mass of papers in his hand's as he slowly looked up at her as she sat uncomfortably across from him, she finally noticed how bad she smelled while she sat in the scented room. She wreaked of dry blood, dirt...even timber, realizing this enraged her but she preferred it over them changing her body or even having to wear one of Kamui's spare rain coat's. That thought both brought a smile and a cringe to her face momentarily as she pictured her self in Kamui's place as a hunched hooded figure.

"Tayuya..." Kabuto said knocking her out of her over active imagination. She looked up at him trying to retain her professionalism and to show him she wasn't weak after her whole ordeal.

Having gained her attention Kabuto began his off the record questioning. "Sooo, what exactly happened during your mission Tayuya...on top of that those two men...who are they?" Kabuto was more aware then his master that two unknown people appearing with one of their elites after a botched mission resulting in everyone's deaths was just a little suspicious to over look.

Tayuya wasn't sure how to respond so she simply began from when they were transporting Sasuke in his barrel, "Okay so we were transporting Sasuke Uchiha when that Spiky headed brat and his friend's attacked us, so we split us to try and lure them on the wrong course away from us but those fuckers kept persisting and getting in our way so we had to delay them by kicking their freaking ass'es all over the place. But that fucking pineapple head became to much a bother and I had to deal with him..." "Pineapple head?" Kabuto remarked pushing his glasses up while trying to catch up with her description of the events. "That ass the ability to control shadows, so I was forced to stay behind and fight that bastard." Tayuya responded bitterly as she remembered the humiliation she suffered during their encounters.

"I see so it is Nara Shikamaru you are talking about, his clan has the ability to control shadows." Kabuto who had all of Nara's info nicely printed on a card and memorized thought to himself that his current ability's were decent.

"Continue." He coldly said after his contemplation. Tayuya griped what was left of her cloths on her legs as she shouted at Kabuto "I NEARLY KILLED THAT RAT BASTARD WHEN THAT BLONDE BITCH ATTACKED ME AND BROKE MY FLUTE THEN SHE..." Tayuya stopped at the thought that...that woman killed her... "She what?" Kabuto said with a smile and a raised brow sensing that Tayuya was hiding something.

"She nearly killed me with some special fan jutsu that leveled the whole freaking forest on top of me!" Tayuya ended her statement with a quick burst of sweat running down her face upon remembering the circumstances of her death but she wasn't going to tell THIS prick that. She felt her heart pounding with adrenaline just thinking about it, not to mention her finger nail's were digging into her leg's slightly.

Kabuto mentally made a note of Temari as being the fan wielding blonde Tayuya was talking about "_It seam's that Suna family has taken the life's of many of our sound ninjas...yes that's right Temari's brother killed Sakon..."_ Kabuto looked over Tayuya making the mental note that given such as battle that was apparent on her cloths and even her smell she showed no visible wounds.

"You are aware Tayuya that you have none of the wounds you claim you had taken from that battle?" He grinned openly knowing he made a point. "T-that's because of those two who accompanied me here, they are genjutsu masters, they healed me on the battle field instead of leaving me for dead like the recovery squad you'd never would have sent." She finished grinning also knowing she had made a point as well. Kabuto lost his grin. "Who are they?" Kabuto remarked coldly glaring at her. "What village are they from? What are their names?" Tayuya could feel she was being set in a deadly trap by Kabuto, He simply didn't want her to be around, he never did like her anyway.

"They said they weren't from a village, they held no loyalty to the leaf since they healed me and traveled with me here since the battle, the short one is named Kamui and the taller one is named Kuroshi...with all due respect I owe them my life..." It was uncharacteristic of her to make such a claim but right now she wanted to at least make it look like SHE trusted them so that they would do the same. Kabuto went through all the names of every village's ninja's to see if he could make a match between their faces and names...his calculation's came up fruitless since no one fit the bill how ever he still wanted to push Tayuya as far as he could.

"You honestly expect me to believe that Tayuya, you are either lying to me or have become incredibly foolish to place your trust in some unknown ninjas...how can I know they are not leaf spy's that followed you here after they spared your life on the battle field? I never figured you to ever betray us like that Tayuya he said slowly shaking his head at her disbelief face I thought you had more pride to die for Orochimaru-sama then beg for your life to the enemy..."

Tayuya was stunned, that shifty bastard wasn't just insulting her he was openly branding her a pride less traitor. That was something she could sit and allow. Tayuya jumped to her feet and slammed both hands down hard on the wooden table nearly smashing it where it stood and began shouting at her accuser at his groundless claim's.

"YOU THINK IM A FUCKING SPINELESS TRAITER?! THAT I WOULD LIE DOWN FOR THOSE LEAF SHIT'S AFTER THEY BEAT ME?! THE FUCK I WOULD YOU FREAKING PRICK, I WANT TO FUCKING KILL THEM, I WANT TO FUCKING KILL THEM FOR EVERYTHING THEY HAVE FUCKING DONE TO ME AND THE OTHER'S!!!"

Tayuya's eyes narrowed with intensity at Kabuto as he took in her word's. "I know you do Tayuya, after all they did kill your teammates." Tayuya calmed down for a moment and remembered the guard had said they had all died...and that she heard Kabuto and Orochimaru talking about it moments before. "Yeah I heard from that blind ass look out turd that I was the only one to make it...those fucking losers..."

"Do not worry, revenge will come soon enough." After saying that Kabuto placed the documents regarding the sound fours deaths. "What the hell are these?" Tayuya barked at Kabuto followed by taking the paper's into her hands to see it was about their deaths. "It's everything regarding the mission and their deaths as you can see...read it over then your free to do as you wish until instructed otherwise, I must go and see to Orochimaru-sama...until later Tayuya."

As he finished he got up and left the room. The young red headed woman grew even more infuriated but then decided to let it go...for now. Right now she wanted to wash up and not look like she had just been toppled by a forest. So she get up and began to proceed out the room to her quarters to get some new cloths. As she entered the hallway she spied Kabuto talking to Kuroshi then they went into another room most likely to get the third degree from that prick but right now that didn't matter to her because she was...home _"heh...some fucking home this is..."_ She thought then continued to her quarters.

The young red headed woman was shocked to see all of her former teammates things gone when she checked their room's then she checked her own room...barley anything was left granted she didn't have much to begin with but still those were her things they threw away.

"Heh...least they left enough of my cloth's here...those shit heads really did a half ass job at fucking cleaning the place out..." She grumbled aloud to herself before she took her remaining cloths and made her way to their teams private bathroom.

The young red head began to let the soak tub fill as she easily removed the tattered rope bow tied around her waist, it was cut up in so many area's that she knew it was the last time she would wear that one.

"Fucking A..." She muttered as it broke apart, not that she ever liked wearing it that is. She continued to grab the bottom of her shirt with both hands and pull it up over her head after the small momentary difficulty of her long flowing hair got in the way then removed her black short's and looked herself over mentally commenting that Kamui and Kuroshi did a good job removing all the cuts and bruises she received from the battle...even old scars she had received from her father. She felt her back carefully to make sure the wounds she received from her childhood had really been healed and to her amazement they were... _"Those two shithead's really did a good job...stupid bastards...that won't help me forget all that hell. _

"The young sound ninja then slowly slid her bare body into the over flowing hot water and sank into it deep in thought. _"I wonder if I will ever drown like this one fucking day...they would fucking love that, snake bitches elite dies in bathtub after being resurrected by two bozos..."_ She made a small laugh under the water sending her breath bubbling on the surface before she emerged her head out so just her nose was above water and not her mouth.

Her eyes wandered over her body that was still submerged as the water flowed out of the tub, she casually made mental notes of where she had been cut or at least felt she was cut during that attack from the blonde woman who killed her. Her hand slowly rubbed her neck remembering that a gash was inflicted there from that attack. _"That whore nearly slit my throat with that move...Bleeding to death like a pig would have been better then a fucking tree...a fucking TREE HEHEH..HEHAHAHAHA!" _

Tayuya began openly laughing under the water making a constant burst of bubble's that tickled her nose gently. Down the hall all the sound ninja's thought she had finally lost it as they heard her scream out

"A FUCKING TREE HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" out of the end of the hall way. But as quickly as it had begun her laughing stopped at the seriousness of the situation. The bubble's stopped as she inhaled deeply with her nose before continuing her contemplation. _"I have to kill her...that DAMNED BITCH...and her fucking rat...bald rat...heheh little bald rat HAHASHAHAS!" _She let her head tilt off the edge of the tub and laughed at the image of a small rodent wearing the leaf uniform with a balding forehead and a spiky pineapple hair cut with a scowl pasted on his face, the image was just too much for her to bare so she continued to laugh as her insane sounding laughter that echoed down the halls frightening all who heard it.

"Someone is sure happy to be home ehh ehh Kamui?" Kuroshi gave Kamui a slight nudge as they raided the kitchen of the sound base much to the distress of the muscle bound "chef" who tried to stop Kuroshi from devouring all of their fried squid but only missed as Kuroshi flipped out of his grasp like a monkey holding three squid on a stick stick's in his mouth while doing so. Kamui would instantly dash and grab something when ever the chef turned his back to stop Kuroshi who now was standing on the ceiling after centering his chakra to his feet.

Having "defeated" the sound bases chef in their mortal combat for new food Kuroshi made his way out and followed the laughter that still continued from down the hall for the past three minute's now. With two fried squid sticks in each hand (and two in his mouth) the gray spiky haired vagabond ignored the awkward stare's, comments and question's passerby's gave him. When ever they questioned where he was going he answered the same incoherent sentence as best he could while still chewing on his new favorite snack. The smartest of the sound ninja's figured out he said "I'm going to give Tayuya some food." In their eye's he was already dead.

Tayuya's wet hair draped over the edge of the tub nearly reaching the floor as she stared up at the ceiling with a half smile still with the thought's of a rodent Shikamaru jumping from tree limb to tree limb dodging her attack's in a comical manor. She didnt notice right away that a figure was staring at her in the flowing pool of water. Her eyes slowly peered down to see Kuroshi staring at her while she bathed while at the same time chewing on squid as he smiled openly at her. No word's were spoken as Tayuya's right hand slowly reached for the closest thing to throw at him which was unfortunately for him the bucket she planned to sit on and shower under.

With the deadly for of throwing a kunai the bucket flew in a split instant and nailed Kuroshi dead in the forehead sending him falling backwards while knocking the squid sticks out of his hand into her bath water.

"GET THE FUCK OUT YOU DAMN GREY HEADED PERV BALL!" He was then assaulted by a number of items as he stumbled to get out of the area. Shampoo bottles, towels...the towel rack...she threw them all while standing in the pool of water covering her breast with her left arm as she swore incomprehensibility.

Bursts of laughter were abound as all the sound ninjas and their friends who had followed them watched the scene from when the tall gray headed ninja went into the bathroom to when he jump flipped out dodging SOME of the small items she threw at him. Tayuya would have killed him had she had some cloths on but making him the laughing stock of strangers as he was bombarded with everything and anything she could beat him with was almost as good enough...almost.

After re-submerging under that water she realized she was blushing and embarrassed at being seen naked by him... "_Squid...in my tub?!" _Her thoughts quickly changed to the two squid sticks that floated by her face. In an instant her lower head emerged out of the water and caught one of the sticks with her teeth and chewed it with a passion.

_"That's right, that dipshit brought me food...don't wanna waist this shit." _She grabbed the other one that had been soaked and devoured it as well then went back to her thought's of what exactly will happen now that she is back to the sound and what those two were going to do..._"W-why do I give a shit what they do, their just going to leave me now so good riddance to those two perverted fuckers...wasn't so bad with um I guess..."_

A few minutes later she got out of the tub then wrapped her wet body with the only towel that was to far to throw at Kuroshi, she let her hair drip water on the floor as she brushed it slowly as she enjoyed one of the few calm moments in her life, she really did enjoy the small things in life like this where things seemed normal.

Tayuya was never a feminine girl least not since early childhood, but she did care about her look so she took pride in keeping her exotic hair well kept and her body in perfect fighting form which was more of a requirement then her personal choice although she liked knowing she was attractive and even beautiful to some but HATED to hear it directly from some worm who she could kill with one hand. She simply liked the gossip she heard some times

As she exited the shower room in her clean new uniform she glanced at a semi conscious Kuroshi who laid on the floor from the impact of the bucket from when she threw it the...second time at him. She placed her foot over the back of his head as he laid flat on the floor, she grinded his face slowly while she bent over him nearly having her face to the back of his head and spook softly and seductively into his ear

"I hope it was fucking worth it Kuroshi she then pressed her foot hard on his head as he turned his head to look up at her with a pain filled smile before she removed her foot "so...you and dwarf boy haven't gotten the hell out yet?"

Kuroshi bounced his body up with a quick burst of chakra to his hands and was on his feet beside her completely unaffected by the assault which REALLY annoyed the young red head.

"Well you know, me and Kamui REALLY suck with direction's so we been up and down this place the whole time, you know I didn't know the shower's weren't coed when I first went in OHHH...we raided the kitchen awhile ago before I came to give you the squid after I heard you laughing something fierce hahahas speaking of which what was on your mind hmm hmmm?" Kuroshi still spoke like he did when Kamui was around giving her the feeling that Kamui was stalking around somewhere, having came to that decision she decided to play around with him to spite his brother who creped her out.

"Ohhh nothing much really, just a girls thoughts." Her lack of swears got Kuroshi's attention as she playfully walked around him in the hall before she continued her plan. "You know..."She said placing one hand on his chest. "Would you like to see where I sleep here?" Kuroshi's face grew red at the thought, he hadn't even considered the thought of sleeping with her but merely seeing her sleep peacefully made him blush from just the sight of her. Before he gave his answer she kneed him directly in the ball's with her left knee.

This was something he never felt before as he toppled over with pain.

"Your such an easy dumb ass I swear, where is that little turd hiding huh? I know he is here!" Kuroshi simply pointed up at the ceiling so the young sound ninja looked up to see the dark coated figure up on the ceiling on all fours like a lizard. Tayuya looked up with a wide eyed questioning face that Kuroshi couldn't help but think was cute.

"What...the fuck are you doing up there?" Was all she could muster out at the moment as she looked up at the surreal scene.

"**...I didn't want...to be...in...the way...heheh..." **Kamui looked down on her revealing his big round blue eyes and bright white smile that grinned teeth from ear to ear.

"You gotta be a freaking nightmare or something kid." The young red head huffed as she decided he couldn't be human.

Mean while the snake sannin's right hand man was busy arguing with his master about the sudden return Tayuya which he had his suspicions about.

"Orochimaru-sama what do you plan to do about Tayuya's questionable return?" Kabuto calmly spoke as to not have it heard by anyone else's ears.

"Kabuto does it really bother you so much she has returned? It doesn't matter either way Kabuto, we have Sasuke Uchiha because of their team's lose." Orochimaru stirredin his chair content with the training of Sasuke as he surpassed as expectations.

"...I have a proposition Orochimaru-sama why not test Sasuke's ability's against Tayuya of the former Sound Five along with her two friends. I am interested to see how well they fair aren't you?" Kabuto cocked his eye brows knowing that Orochimaru would gladly consent to any sacrifice of his own men to further Sasukes progress.

The snake sannin leaned back in his chair tempted by Kabuto's idea, he wondered how two ninjas with two different curse seals would fair fighting against each other.

"Fine Kabuto we shall have them fight later today to test their abilitys." The pale man let him self sit back into his chair awaiting to see their match.

"And if they should decline or beat Sasuke?" Kabuto lifted his glasses with his fingers.

"He will not lose of that I am sure Kabuto, I will make sure he does not hold back. He let out a final hiss ending the conversation while Kabuto left the room and grinned at how manipulatible his master could be. He decided to inform Tayuya and her friends of their upcoming match.

Back at the hall way the young red headed woman decided to return to her room while Kuroshi and Kamui followed her since they had nothing better to do. While Kuroshi and Kamui "admired" such a plain and simple room Tayuya made her way to her bottom bunk and laid flat on her stomach which still felt sore and crossed her arms across her pillow and dug her face in while she thought about everything and anything. Eventually she decided to ask Kuroshi something that has been bugging her for awhile.

"So...why haven't you's left my sorry ass yet...I thought for sure nailing you in the freaking ball sack would be enough yet your as happy as ever..." The young girl's voice was muffed by her pillow.

Kuroshi sat across from her on Sakon's bunk while Kamui sat on the floor meditating. He thought for a moment about it while carefully choosing his words.

"Well it's because I know deep down your a good person Tayuya!" Kuroshi shouted rather loudly disturbing her greatly.

"Good huh? I'm a fucking killer working for a fucking killer...I have assassinated, tortured, beaten, killed...out of orders or cause I could...I'm so glad I am good inside." Tayuya said with a dull voice as she remembered all the events of her life since she had been liberated by Orochimaru.

The room was silent for a moment bedside's Kamui's low humming as he meditated quietly in the corner.

Tayuya shifted her face out of her arms and looked at Kuroshi who had been oddly quiet since she last spoken to see he had a sad look on his face.

"AND WHATS WITH YOU? You feel sorry for me huh shithead?...well without Orochimaru-samma I would have died year's ago but thanks for the concern though loser..." Tayuya tucked her head back in-between her arms.

"So how did you join such...diverse guy like him?" Kuroshi finally asked her with a little hesitation.

"Do you really care shithead?" Her voice cracked as she turned over with dull eyes.

Kuroshi nodded giving her a caring face as best as he could.

"...My father tried to kill me awhile after my mother died...Orochimaru-sama saved me and gave me a reason to live shit head...I'd choose him all over again too..." Her voice was low and cold and nearly devoid of any emotion.

Kamui stopped his meditation and looked at Kuroshi who cracked a smile for the same reason Kamui looked at him.

"Same here but abit different..." As the gray headed ninja paused the young red headed girl looked at him not knowing if he was mocking her.

"You see me and Kamui were born out casts of our village, soon after birth our mother was sent into isolation to care for us against the villages wishes...we lived in a small confined cave until we were old enough to fend for our self's...one day the villagers came and placed us in small cement boxes...feed just enough to live...left alone in the dark...that's why poor Kamui is hunched you see...he remained in the same box he had since he was three year's old till...you were ten brother?" He stopped to ask Kamui who simply responded with a limp nod then Kuroshi continued. "One day our mother Kanna tried to kill Kamui...to spare him a life so lowly and horrid but...she was killed before she could stab him in the head through the food opening in the cold rock..."

Tayuya looked over the now trembling Kuroshi who looked down at his hands with a truly crooked smile.

"W-what the fuck happened to her?" The young redhead questioned intently as she raised her body up from the bed.

"I stabbed her threw the back into her chest with a kunai, I nearly cut to her heart but I stopped as she fell back...dropping her sword...and taking hold of my neck looking at me with those wide surprised eyes of hers...as blue as Kamui's in fact..." at this point tears began to run down into Kamui's lap Seeing this Kuroshi stopped telling the story and moved over to comfort his brother.

Tayuya remained silent seeing as how traumatic it was to them, just the idea of Kuroshi killing his own mother in front of Kamui at age ten seemed messed up even by her standards. But it at least showed they had more in common then she once assumed, still killing your own parent was worst then watching someone kill them in your stead.

"Cut the tears damn it, ninjas aren't suppose to let their emotions get the better of them, when you do you die you got that loser?!" The young girl tried to snap the still tearing child out of his sadness but only received a questionable look as his face as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Kamui isn't a trained ninja, he is technically below Genin level yet his prowess as a genjutsu user might be considered as A ranked, both me and Kamui here have never been trained we just inherited the ability's from our father and pretty much anyone who didn't mind to show us…" Kuroshi's voice trailed off as he spoke in a matter-of-fact way.

Stunned by this new information Tayuya placed her hand against her forehead for a quick chuckle before giving them her two cents. "And here I thought I at least had capable bodyguards for a moment…what the fuck was I thinking."

"Well we had better be strong enough to beat that snake guys challenge…" Kuroshi announced much to Tayuya's surprise.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" The young red head had shock and confusion in her voice as she demanded an answer.

"…**he wishes to test you…against…Sasuke…us as well…to death…" **Kamui's voice was cold and decisive as he announced Orochimaru's plan for them.

"HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW THAT?!" Gripping her fist's tight as she screamed loudly at the small boy who was ruffling his sleeves.

Kamui looked to Kuroshi to explain since he was still a little bit down remembering past events.

"You see we never really trusted that snake guy or his shifty friend, we didn't like the vibe we got from them so Kamui killed a fly and brought it back to spy on Orochimaru and that Kabuto, and well Kabuto made a bet that some Sasuke guy could beat you and us in a fight so…yeah…we wanted to let you know to see what you wanted to do about it?" The gray haired teen explained with a sound in his voice that hinted he wasn't too concerned.

Tayuya fell back against her back letting her head smack against the wall in disbelieve, her eyes were wide with what might have been a cute face if it was under different circumstances.

"…Get out…" was all she said in a low voice fringing on sounding emotional.

Kuroshi and Kamui looked at her for a moment.

"…please...get the fuck out for a minute…"

After hearing her voice begin to break they effectively made their way out shutting the door to the Sound Four's former quarters.

The young sound konichi curled her self up in her bunk, wrapping her arms around her knees and dug her head deep between them. She wasn't crying she just wanted to be completely isolated as she contemplated her fate up to this point.

"…_Why…am I always fucked?…isn't it enough I die once…to be killed in such a shitty way?! To be revived and abandoned by the only person to give me power and a reason to live…god must love shitting down on me…I aint gonna go down with out a fight…fuck that!!! I will kill his precious Sasuke and show that fucking shit just how useless he is…everyone needs to pay…I am so tired of this shit…"_

Tayuya then having fought back her tears from coming out from her depressed state slowly got out of the bunk and opened the door to see both Kamui and Kuroshi waiting earnestly for her return.

"You shithead's wanna help me kick some ass or what? Tayuya placed her hands against her hips as she looked at them with clear confidant eye's.

"…**heh…we can stall…but…that one is stronger…we can not…win…" **The young coated boy added what he knew was truth.

"Still between all three of our genjutsu we should be able to hold him off while we make our escape out of here…but then they would pester us with constant attacks huh Tayuya? "

"They wont give up so we fight those shitheads now, no sense in prolonging this shit!" The young sound ninjas resolve was made as she looked to victory or death as the outcome.

"Well I have a little plan me and Kuroshi concocted after we heard, it should solve all our problems at once but I wanna run it by you first to see what you think." Kuroshi's speech was slow and tactical as he spoke then learned over to whisper his plan in here ear.

"………….WHAT!!!?" The young flute player shouted as she heard but only half his plan.

"SHEEEEEESH…be quiet or we might get found out Tayuya, there's more to the plan then just that…"

After a lengthy explanation followed by a semi lengthy re-explaining Tayuya was finally going to go along with their plan since it benefited them the most.

Not soon after Kabuto appeared to tell Tayuya about her and Sasukes's match much to her displease with the situation but she accepted because it was an order, and if Kamui's and Kuroshi's plan worked it would be the last order she received while alive…if it failed it would be the last order period.

The 5 hours of rest and preparations went by fast as Tayuya and the two travelers were prepared for the battle as best as they could been, their time frame couldn't have been anymore to their advantage as they waited for their trap to be sprung. Many of the sound ninjas gathered to see the battle between two of Orochimaru's best that would certainly be entertaining regardless of the outcome.

Orochimaru and Kabuto stood near the gates leading down into the underground base as the entire grounds outside were their arena. Sasuke Uchiha had already been waiting impatiently, he really didn't care about this match but had no problem with killing Tayuya of the Sound Four since he and Orochimaru no longer needed her.

Sasuke changed into his level 2 form and so did Tayuya much to the surprise of her teammates who easily argued their way into the fight as a handicap to help Tayuya since she wasn't a close range specialist.

"Wow your pretty hot as horned girl too!" The young gray headed Kuroshi shouted after she fully transformed.

"…**heheh…indeed brother…"** Added Kamui with a grin on his face.

"S-shut up you shithead's, how's that fucking plan coming?!" Barked Tayuya who was readying to summon her three Doki's with her renewed flute.

"Ohh they should be here any minute now so lets make this look good, we just need to hold him off for a few minutes…or if things get bad I have plan B waiting hehahahas."

"Hh…You fools, weak people like your self's stand no chance against my power so just come at me any way you can." Sasuke scoffed at them as they got into a battled stance, to him three against one was fine odds since he was going against a girl who was weaker then him, a cloaked child and a fool who grinned more then Naruto while staring down certain death.

Sasuke then began forming the Chidori in his left hand readying to run them through as fast as possible.

"_Mateki: Genbus__ō__ Kyoku!"_

As the young kunoichi placed her palm on the ground summoning her three minions before she began playing her flute to control them. It was now that Sasuke rushed the group forcing Tayuya to use her doki as a wall to block the chidori attack, while she did so Kuroshi and Kamui both preformed intense genjutsu that the fiery blooded Uchiha had difficulty breaking with his sharingan since they quickly cast another more powerful one or weaker one after each jutsu completion, while none were successful they did hinder Sasuke's vision and focus as he rushed and impaled the club wielding doki then moved to the next after flapping his wings to jump and glided to the next decapitating the bandaged one with ease.

"Looks like Sasuke is going to make quick work out of Tayuya Orochimaru-samma however those are some interesting genjutsu they are using, with out his eye's to try and nullify their effects he would be in some serious trouble." Kabuto crossed his arms as he watched the fight.

"Yes Sasuke's abilities are magnificent aren't they Kabuto, he more then makes up for the lose of my men." The sannin over looked over the match with intent joy as his soon to be body was tearing through his elites defenses.

As Sasuke's chidori ripped through the last doki a group of shadow clones of Kuroshi appeared and began attacking Sasuke but were easily dodged and destroyed by Sasuke's instantaneous reflexes. Seeing this Tayuya quickly went on the defensive by jumping into the trees while preparing her own special jutsu.

"_Mateki: Mugen'onsa!"_

She began playing her flute music to capture Sasuke in her genjutsu while both Kuroshi, Kamui and Kuroshi's remaining clones all preformed theirs. Sasuke was unable to break through all of them thus rendering him stunned and his attack canceled.

"OROCHIMARU-SAMA!" A guard running to the match screamed as all the spectators focused on this amazing match.

"WHAT THE HELL IS IT?!" Orochimaru screamed at the guard for interrupting.

"Sir….the Leaf…their almost upon us!" Everyone hushed hearing his words and it became eerily obvious that there were no sounds out side in the forest. Everything was hushed as their base was being surrounded by the Leaf's forces being lead by the fifth Hokage Tsunade.

"Orochimaru-sama should we evacuate before the bulk of their forces arrive?" Nervously commented Kabuto who was estimating how many ninja's were now around them.

"Yes I believe losing them in the tunnels would be the best course of action, we cant allow them the chance to attack us and cause more damage to our forces." With that Orochimaru made his way down into the base signaling Sasuke to follow after he recovered from the effects of their combined jutsu's.

"This isn't over freaks." Sasuke then reverted back into his normal self and glared at his three adversaries but was shocked the instant Kuroshi went behind Tayuya grabbing her behind her neck with his arm then quickly snapped her neck making her entire body go limp then revert to her normal form.

"W-what the hell?!" Sasuke was shocked as she was easily dispatched then dropped to the floor as Kuroshi made a few hand sign movements then puffed into a Leaf ninja of ANBU rank.

"I see…you had everyone tricked you bastard…very cleaver for an ANBU but I don't have time to play with you ."

With that Sasuke followed Orochimaru and Kabuto into the bowels of their underground base.

Kuroshi laughed out loud as the entire base erupted in battle and conflict, both he and Kamui grinned as the sound ninja scattered and fought off the Leaf's ninja's.

Kuroshi then carefully picked up Tayuya's body then gave a grin to the famous slug Sannin that he himself had informed of the Sound's hidden base hours ago. Before she could speak a word to him he disappeared with Tayuya's body and Kamui quickly followed.

"What the hell is going on here…he is no Leaf ninja of ours…forget it retrieving Sasuke and putting an end to Orochimaru is most important…SHIZUNE THEY WHENT UNDERGROUND!"

Tsunade as well as many ANBU and other various high ninja classes then made their way down into the base to track Orochimaru and Sasuke Uchiha down.

Meanwhile far off near a waterfall yelling could be heard from a very pissed kunoichi who was giving a certain gray headed ninja a piece of her mind.

"YOU FUCKING DICK?!" Tayuya roared "I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO KILL ME!!!" Pinning him against the a nearby tree about to pound his teeth in with a clenched fist.

"Now now now…you knew what the plan was, now they think your dead and I'm a Leaf ANBU from Konoha, everything went so well to our lovely plan!" Kuroshi jestered his arms in a festive manor as he talked and spun around continuing his grand actions.

"Whatever you still gotta explain how the hell you set that up with out leaving the freaking base loser!" Tayuya was still highly strung from how Sasuke was about to easily kill her had not there been interference from Kuroshi and Kamui and although she HATED to admit it konoha as well.

"I will but first…what the hell now? I mean…what's next? Shrugged Kuroshi looking back at Kamui who kept quiet with his head down keeping out of the conversation.

Tayuya of the former Sound Four snickered and gripped her flute firmly as she thought of all albeit limited options that were available to her.

"Were gonna take a trip to Konoha for awhile, there's some shitheads there I need to kill." With that the young red head turned over in her blankets looking away from him.

Kuroshi looked at her with a pouting face and dropped his grin.

"…keep it discreet k…we don't need to have a whole country against us…but yeah lets go there and celebrate our success and friendship!"

It was weird for her to hear that, she didn't exactly accept them as friends but more like…acceptable company.

"Lets head to Konoha at dawn then!" Kuroshi blurted out while Tayuya was still considering if she should shoot down his claim at friendship but decided she was too tired to get into another argument today, she just wanted to put this day to an end.

But the tension that laid thick in the air of the nation of fire would not make rest easy for anyone this night, for tonight many minds would remain restless.


	5. Arrival at the Leaf

_**I DONT OWN NARUTO!(I have actualy been asked that once allready XD)**_

Their night was spent with Kuroshi on guard and Kamui asleep. Tayuya, after having betrayed her village in a sense, felt a sensation of liberation and regret; these feelings kept her up well into the night forcing her to converse with the only other person she could…although she didn't like it.

"Hey!" She called over in a drowsy tone to Kuroshi who leaned back and forth while being on guard while drifting in and out of his own thoughts contemplating their actions as well.

"Yes, what is it Tayuya of the Sound Four?" He blurted out as if he had been preparing for her words all night.

"Tayuya is just fine dip shit!" She blurted back without much thought.

"Is that what you wanted to tell me?" His long gray spiky hair flopped down covering his red eyes slightly as his voice maintained a cold tone as if he was irritated, possibly due to the fact he hadn't really slept in the few days he had known her. She sensed his irritation but decided to ignore it.

"So how did you set that little trap back there? For a moment I thought you really were one of those damned Leaf shit bags." The entire time she had been laying down on the grass not looking at him since she was pretending to go to sleep before she decided to talk and didnt feel like turning over.

"We raised one of the many dead Sound ninjas Orochimaru kept around the place and had him travel to the Leaf Village from his own memory of where it was; there he relayed my message to the surprised guards and I let his spirit rest in peace after he did so." Kuroshi's voice was much different now, he wasn't in his normal speedy tempo like it was around Kamui and it wasn't as she had noticed like when he solely talked to her as a caring individual…no, now his voice contained a deep tone with a hint of indifferent ness and pain she had never heard from him before.

"…you didn't keep him alive huh? For being able to bring back the dead you sure talk about it like its worth shit; I don't get you." Her tone was empty and dull now.

"Unlike you, his body wasn't healed and his soul was restless, he was more or less a walking corpse not a revived human being. Letting his soul know peace and having the Leaf give him a proper burial was the best thing we could do. It would have cost us too much energy to have him like you." Kuroshi finished and looked up at the starlight that shined down on them through the opening of the trees.

"Living doesn't mean that much to you does it?" The young red head responded after considering his words and the emptiness in them.

Kuroshi sat up since he didn't expect such a reply from one such as her.

"It's true…being able to alter the scales of life and death doesn't make you value life so much…but that's not why, it involves our village…you see our village consisted of monks who's property was earth, because of this our jutsu and ability's are centered around the earth and master of the senses or genjutsu, as you prefer it. Our father was the one who by manipulation of many different jutsu and a variation of resurrection jutsu as well as jutsu involving the very human spirit and body…despite this we felt nothing but spite, fear and hatred from our clan because we inherited our fathers abilities which went too far…besides the ability to bring back the dead completely is far too risky and negative."

"You brought me back on a freaking whim didn't you, or was that just for shits and giggles to see my frightened reaction?!" She raised her voice violently drawing his attention at the importance of her question.

"You didn't want to die, that's why mainly…" He gave her a slight smile.

"Oh and how the fuck could you know that?!" Her voiced raised with her anger, she didn't like him making assumptions about her.

Kuroshi waited a moment while he thought of a reply that would end the increasingly violent atmosphere.

"It was your face…half of it accepted death you could say while the other wanted to survive…that is what I saw so that's why I wanted to bring you back." With that he closed his eyes to get some rest and ignored his guard duties.

The young former sound nin quietly contemplated what she looked like when she died. She knew in her final moments she felt immense pain the likes of which she has never known followed by a flowing cold feeling, yet somewhere in all of this as she died she felt warmth.

"Fine…" With that she rolled over and wrapped her arms around herself trying to shake off that chilled feeling of dying and closed her eyes to sleep in their little camp.

Elsewhere another pair was busy with their own conversation into the late night.

Tsunade the Fifth Hokage sat in her chair looking over her desk at the extremely tired and irritated Shikamaru who she ordered be woken at two o'clock for just this very meeting.

"Do you know why I called you here so late Nara Shikamaru? The aging Hokage sat in her chair giving him a stern look as in his daze he had completely forgotten his manners from being disturbed from his nice comfortable bed.

"Yeah! Yeah, I hear you and no I don't know what this extra stress is about." One of his hands covered his eyes from the light in the ceiling, the other waved her off acknowledging he heard her.

"Hmph…Shikamaru first off I would like to commemorate you on your accomplishments leading the retrieval squad after the Uchiha traitor Sasuke." Though she said this with confidence there was no tone that good news was to follow.

"_Ohh man, this crap __can't be __good, after all we did fail the mission…this is far too troublesome to be the leader of a group."_ He thought lowering his head readying for bad news.

"Hokage-sama, with all due respect the mission was a failure and we nearly lost everyone in it." The procrastinator shrugged as his gaze went up to admire the ceiling.

"Do not sell yourself short Shikamaru; it was because of you everyone was able to survive such a dangerous mission, on top of that you all defeated a powerful threat to the Leaf. I am speaking of Orochimaru's elite bodyguards, the former Sound Five wasn't it?" The Fifth's voice was more encouraging now as she commended their work and effort in their mission. She then paused before continuing with her statement before Shikamaru could answer a question she really didn't care about.

"Which is why I called you here, you see I have a few questions about the member you yourself fought against and defeated." Following that the fifth crossed her arms across her chest waiting for the young chuunin's response.

"What about that loud woman?" He grumbled out the side of his face before realizing that the fifth Hokage herself was a woman who would not appreciate his sexist comments. "Ermm with all due respect I wasn't the one to defeat her, we have Suna's assistance to thank for that." He reluctantly blurted out trying to draw her attention off his comment earlier.

"I am well aware of that after reading your detailed…report." She stopped, remembering that his report was written with what appeared to be sixteen different colored pens and two crayons giving her the impression that he went back and forth writing it on and off countless time wherever he was.

"And Shikamaru please…don't use crayons again when writing your reports in the future…" Irritation was back in her eyes still deciding if she should roast him about his "woman" comment.

"Yeah about that Hokage-sama…" The young chuunin's voice trailed off as he remembered passing by a preschool and hit up a few of the kids for their crayons if he let them shadow box his shadow which he reluctantly said yes too since his report was due…20 minutes ago.

"Anyway there is a very importaint reason why i called you here Shikamaru." The busty blond said raising her voice over his mumbling.

"Y-yes Hokage-sama! He shut up to attention, an act for anyone else he would never repeat or do in the first place.

"I have a question about your report on that incident that is of the utmost concern to me." The fifth Hokage then stood up to walk around the room as she spoke.

"The sound ninja known as Tayuya of the North Gate…she…died during your last confrontation with her, she was killed by Suna's Temari wasn't she?" She finally stopped pacing and looked to Shikamaru for his answer.

"Yeah? I mean she was crushed under a tree and appeared like she was dead…after that attack I don't know how that loud wom-…enemy could have survived. Me and Temari couldn't be bothered with burying her at the time."

"That's what I feared Shikamaru…you see earlier today we were tipped off to the whereabouts of the Sound's base where Sasuke and Orochimaru were stationed after his defection. I personally lead the force to strike that base; that is where I saw Tayuya fighting Sasuke with my own eyes." Now she was staring out her window overlooking her village.

"Fighting him? That woman's alive?" Shikamaru found this news hard to hear as well as incalculable. With that he took his chin into his hand and began trying to think of scenarios as to how and why.

"What's more Shikamaru is that soon after we spied her there she was quickly killed by a Leaf ninja who wasn't with our squad." Her "ageless" face had a frown upon it trying to piece together what had gone on.

"Was he one of ours Hokage-sama?"

"No…I made it my duty as Hokage to memorize the faces and names of every single ninja under my command, whoever he was he wasn't one of ours…I am sure of that from how he looked at me before disappearing with her corpse.

"What about Sasuke and Orochimaru Hokage-sama?" The procrastinator asked emptily since he already knew if they succeeded at anything during their mission it would have been made known by now.

"That snake!" she shouted "Got away with Sasuke but we did take their base finding a lot of research documents and information about the various bases he has…although most of their higher priority documents were burnt before we could stop them."

"A set up Hokage-sama?" The young Nara shrugged the idea off to her.

"Maybe, when I received word that someone was sent here and reported all the information about the Sound base I rushed to the scene, however the man died shortly after passing on the information as well as a letter to our guards. What's more is the man was dead to begin with, his body was reanimated with the purpose of notifying us in the place of the person who had written the letter who simply signed it as "Black Death"…his note itself concerns me even more." The Fifth finally finished realizing she had no intention of relaying this information to Shikamaru but decided it was okay since them throwing information around helped her think better.

"Urgh this whole event is tiresome; a Leaf ninja who isn't a Leaf ninja, a reanimated corpse of a Sound nin acting as messenger, that loud …Sound ninja (he corrected himself) being alive and a note…what did the note say Hokage-sama?" He finished with his eyes being half open from the tiredness that dragged at him to return to his comfy bed.

"It was an extremely…unique note to say the least." The Hokage paused remembering three sticky notes being written on both sides stapled to each other completely crammed with sentences that repeated themselves over and over again covering both sides of each note written in the most unpolished manor that made Shikamaru's handwriting look like a masterpiece.

"The gist of it was this Black Death gave us the information so that one day if he and his comrades ever came to the Leaf they would respectively be granted sanctuary under agreeable circumstances between him and I. Furthermore he requested enough fried squid to last for two weeks and that the dead sound nin be given a proper burial upon his "release"; as you can see I am beside myself on this one Shikamaru."

Shikamaru stood in disbelief at what the fifth Hokage had just said, for a moment he wasn't sure if Naruto was messing with her but quickly put aside that idea given the circumstances. He wanted to make a joke like "Will you exceed to his unreasonable squid demand Hokage-sama?" but quickly shot that idea out of his head. For all his worth he couldn't come up with anything to aid the rightfully confused and pondering Hokage so he felt it best to just tell her that now.

"I got nothing…nothing at all Hokage-sama, all I can really say is to see what happens. The guy may never come so it wont be an issue maybe." With a shrug after every three words he finally stopped talking and slumped in front of her exhausted. He was to his best merit still recovering from his retrieval mission after the Uchiha and rightfully was wounded and sore so Tsunade decided to cut him some slack and let that be all for the night.

"Thank you for your time Shikamaru, I will have to see what happens since this whole affair doesn't make sense to me in the least so your free to return home to bed now."

"Thank you Hokage-sama." With a bow and a sleepy stare he made his way out of her room only to be caught by her voice once more.

"And Shikamaru…the next time you use such sexist remarks around me I will pound your face in then heal it then pound it again…do I make my self clear?" She held her hips and let her massive breasts be all the glare she needed to the now sweating Shikamaru as he damned himself for being so stupid…and he damned her for being a typical sensitive woman despite all her crudeness.

Out side the Hokage's building Shikamaru looked up at the flickering street lights as he made his way back home deep in thought.

"_Great…that red headed woman isn't dead……ergh what ever, least no one can say I killed the girl now even if that equally annoying Suna woman was the one who done her in, this is such a drag, why do I get stuck with all these girls any way? Uergh fate must hate me or something, well at least we didn't capture that foul mouthed redhead or we would never hear the end of all her damn cursing and insults, heh they would probably execute her on the spot…"_

That's when he stopped thinking as he looked down at the ground with widened renewed eyes at the thought of the Sound Kunoichi's lifeless body hanging with a noose around her neck in the middle of the towns square, he even imagined her wide eyed as she was when she was shocked and had dry tears coming down her cheeks from her lifeless widened eyes.

He didn't like that image one bit even if she was an enemy, he at least didn't want to see that. After forcing that image out of his mind as best he could he stomped on a discarded cigarette in the style Asuma often did before continuing his conversation with him self out loud.

"Just don't come here again, life would be easier on the both of us if you did you annoying loud wom-erghh Tsunade was right…I gotta stop saying that or that demon just might jump me in an alley about it heh." With that the comical…well not so comical scene took place in his head where a chibi version of himself got jumped on by an equally amusing chibi version of Tayuya with flute in hand and blazing red eyes that lighted up the whole damn alley as she clawed him like a frenzied cat about all his sexist comments about her.

"What the hell…that's something she would probably think if she had an imagination to go with her foul mouthed ass attitude." Which ironically she did.

Soon after Shikamaru made it to his house and slept comfortably as the sun soon began to rise hours later but wouldn't be able to reach him so perfectly hidden under his blankets. However it did reach the young red head waking her to the day where she would return to the Leaf and exact her revenge against those who had ended her life.

Holding her right hand up to the sun in both an attempt to block it and an attempt to seize it she spook aloud to the new day it self.

"That's right fuckers, im coming! This day might just be your last!" She finished by clenching her fist tightly making a small eclipse to shine down on her before being disturbed by a painfully familiar voice.

"About that Tayuya, could you…maybe not attack or kill anyone while were there in the Leaf, I mean you have a lot more options now then just throwing everything away for the sake of revenge." Responded the tall grey haired teen as he began to clean up their little camp and remove its existence off the face of the earth.

"What the hell do you mean don't attack anyone?!, That's the whole reason why I am going there or has all your thoughts been absorbed by your long ass hair?!" The young girl jumped up now cursing him and his hair. To her it did make him look handsome but she resented that feeling, it would be better for her if he was as repulsively creepy looking as Kamui.

"I mean I kinda made a deal with the Leaf for their help attacking the base like they did." He finished with a wide smile and one hand scratching behind his head.

"Now why…" The angry redhead slowly began. "Would you fucking do that?!"

Crossing her arms under her chest demanding an answer.

"Don't worry its just a deal of sanctuary in their village, I only ask that you not give them a reason to void it." The tall skinny grey haired teen smiled to her.

"Hm, well you know I did help assassinate their previous leader, I did help convince one of their people to become a traitor, not to mention I helped that fucking bastard escape so he could become the shit he is today ohh and yeah I tried to kill the fucking weak ass Leaf pricks who came after him!, So yeah I don't see how they could find it in their damn hearts to void your freaking request dip shit!"

She leaned her body against a tree in her frustration, her cold brown eyes fell short from looking at her hand as she finally noticed her hair was nearly covering her face from sleeping on a small camping sack. She no longer had her hat any more since her transformation and the horns destroyed it so she realized that in his eyes she looked kind of funny but from his standpoint it was cute to be barked at by her while she looked so adorable. She tilted her head back and automatically repositioned her hair with both hands as she stared up at the sky and counted it as another day she wouldn't have been there alive.

"Fine…I wont start anything idiot." She lied to the happy Kuroshi who believed her words.

"_Naïve freaking fool, being naïve only will kill you in the end dumb ass."_ Her thoughts possessed a pained sound as she let them echo into her mind, that was after all why she died.

"That's wonderful to hear Tayuya, Kamui!" The grey haired man now shouted up at a tree. "Come on down were about ready to go!" For some reason unknown to the fiery red head and the hooded wonder Kuroshi's voice was far to unnecessarily loud since Kamui lay snug along massive branch of the tree only 5 feet away.

"**B-brother…what's the matter?"** He stared at his brother with wide eyes trying to figure out what was wrong with him.

"Up, up up now, we have to get moving to Konoha, I simply can not wait to see the sights and sounds of that village as it is the center of the land of fire!" From his response, it became clear to Tayuya and Kamui that Kuroshi did not notice the breaking and crackling in his own voice as his sentence became nothing more then a sped up broken pile of nearly incoherent gibberish.

While Tayuya just thought the freak had been snorting sugar like a drug the small quiet Kamui knew better but choose not to disclose it in the presence of "That" woman. His jealousy and discontentment with her never stopped, to him she was a foul annoyance that was disrupting his and Kuroshi's little world. A fact that was indisputable because they were risking their lives to aid her not once, nor twice but now three times, but all these feelings and thoughts he kept quietly to himself behind his pearly white smile.

They the three vagabonds left the camp after Kuroshi removed its existence off the face of the earth. The young red head lead the way since she had raided it once even though Kuroshi knew where since he read the dead sound nin's mind, lucky for the group that they were only a few hours away since they instinctively retreated from Orochimaru's base into Leaf territory incase they did decide to pursue the false Leaf ninja.

Else where miles away in the bustling village of Konoha another spiky haired person was also busy with his own sort of preparations.

"Rasengan!" Shouted a blond headed boy as he forced himself to focus all of his chakra into his most powerful and lethal attack that he soon slammed into a tree outside of Konoha's gates. It was none other then Naruto Uzumaki himself dressed in hospital gown and covered in various bandages.

Despite strict orders from doctors he escaped the hospital they treated his wounds in and was determined to strengthen his attack so next time it would defeat Sasuke Uchiha's Chidori, that way Naruto could fulfill his promise to his teammate and friend Sakura Haruno that he will bring Sasuke back to her no matter what lose or pain it may cause himself.

"Damn it..hah..hah.." The young Uzumaki breathlessly panted seeing the obvious weakening effects his attack was having on the nearby surroundings as he had already decimated a small section of woods and rocks into a clearing.

"It's not nearly as powerful as it could be, where the heck is that perverted old man when you need him!" The rowdy young boy finished in a huff as he fell back and began to lay spread out in the center of his own personal scorched gravel pit. He then decided to rest and regain his chakra to try again later, as he decided this he looked up into the clear blue sky and let his mind wonder as he slowly slipped out of consciousness.

As the spiky blond rested hours passed by and he soon was awakened by the bright sunlight burning down on his face.

"Aii ae aii!" he screamed feeling the slight sunburn that set into him as he foolishly passed out with out any shade on a cloudless day.

"Damn it, how the heck can I go back in town looking like a beet, urgh this cant be happening!" He now jumped up swinging his fist at some invisible person he felt was responsible for his bad luck.

Naruto hadn't realized it at first but he had completely recovered from his previous fatigue after only a few hours rest.

The young Hokage in training after spending the better part of three minutes shouting and rolling around by him self at both the discomfort of the sunburn and his horrible bad luck while training decided to wash his face from one of the nearby streams that flowed around the Leaf villages outskirts.

"Yeah there's nothing like a refreshing bath before continuing rigorous training in the morning BELIVE IT!" (A/C: Yes…I had too…I had to just once put that dreaded catch phrase in there for him, please let me know now if I should keep it or not for the continuation of the fanfic….end rant)

With his self encouraging words he went down to one of the more familiar rivers he could think of and removed his now ragged and torn hospital gown while still retaining his boxers and bandages and jumped directly in knowing the feeling the cold water first would make him reconsider, cannon balling in was the only option he could think of to ensure he didn't hesitate.

Soon after the young boy was under the water another even more spiky headed person emerged from the woods near the river.

"Could have swore I had heard someone over here hmm well whatever I better get some food for Kamui and Tayuya-chan…cant go into the town penniless and expect a free meal…ahh ahh… but then again they owe us a weeks supple of that magnificent fried squid treat but I don't know if they will even agree so fish time!" The now energetic grey suited teen grabbed a few sticks and then popped open one of his grey padded jackets pockets and took out a reel of nearly invisible metal wires that he used a string to fasten it into a crude fishing poll.

With that the odd traveler kicked up his feet on a rock only to crush the rock then remove a few worms and spread them on the hook making sure they were bleeding well enough to attact some large hungry attention down there.

With that he swung it towards the water with a wide grin and squinted eyes from the simple joy of fishing for his food but the fishing pole quickly was ripped apart into a hundred small pieces as the metal wire constricted and sliced it to pieces and fell into the water where a large red fish quickly swam by and gulped down the worms .

Kuroshi's face remained with the same broken expression at his horrible turn of luck.

"Ohh that's it fish, now you suffer the skills inherited by those who have obtained the kekkei genkai from the village hidden in the dusk

KATON: Hosenka no Jutsu!

Several fire balls were formed and flew into the water boiling it almost immediately. Not even a few seconds after the attack the grey haired teen watched with anticipation as a mass of bubbles soon formed at the surface but what came to the surface wasn't what he expected.

"Aieahahaah what the hell!" screamed in clear surprise Naruto as he jumped out of the water and flew into the air readying to attack what ever sent such violent and sudden attacks upon him.

Kuroshi who looked on with a surprised open mouthed smile as the small blonde child jumped around pointing his finger yelling at his attacker.

"What the hell is your deal man?!, you almost killed me there!? He continued shouting as loud as he could at the grey suited individual.

"I-I am terribly sorry there I didn't know anyone was down there erumm you see I was fishing so…" Kuroshi began to respond before the young Naruto instantly cut him off after hearing his reason for firing several deadly fire balls into the water nearly boiling him alive.

"Fishing?!, you nearly boiled me cause you were fishing?! Man!, what the hell is wrong with you, and who the hell fishes like that?!"

Naruto kept him arguing for five minutes before he finally was able to calm down and hear the reason and long winded apology for why he was so brutally attacked. Naruto even scored a portion of the fish that Kuroshi caught from his "unique" method,

"So you were fishing for food for your friends huh?" The young blonde one asked as he sat paralleled to what to him was an odd looking character. Naruto noticed that the teen wore a near ragged grey vest that held many pockets and containers similar to his own teacher Kakashi's vest . Besides that he had no village insignia anywhere on him which he thought was strange for a ninja to do since even the highest ranked to lowest ranked ninja wore or kept some seal of where they were from. Kuroshi's dark red eyes also threw Naruto for a loop since he immediately mistook him for someone from the Uchiha clan but such wasn't the case it seamed since no Sharingan was present and he didn't possess the Uchiha ego factor that he felt from Sasuke or his brother Itachi. With these thoughts aside he felt this grey haired individual was okay but a bit FAR apologetic since he got down on his hands and knee's and begged for forgiveness a few times.

"Yes such was the reason for that horrific mistaken attack upon you, if I had known I would have never done such a horrible thing to you ohh great and kind sir!" Kuroshi blurted out fast and with flashy hand gestures.

"Er no need for the sir, Naruto is just fine okay? The young blonde waved off disapprovingly at the fact a much older person referred to him as sir.

"Naruto?" The taller teen responded as he too sat parallel to the smaller spiky hair child as they both unknowingly devoured the fish that he had saved for Kamui and Tayuya who still remained a few miles away awaiting for Kuroshi's OK that it was safe to either proceed or retreat away from the village.

"Yeah Naruto Uzumaki, I am a super strong ninja from this village and one day I am going to be the Hokage believe it!" With that Naruto jumped up and made a victory sign as if it was a clear eventuality.

Kuroshi leaned forward at his statement and looked wide eyed at him for a moment then decided not to belittle the hokages out loud to his new possible friend.

"Well I truly hope you succeed in your goal one day Naruto but uhh can I inquire why you are so banged up and bandaged I mean the future Hokage shouldn't walk around looking like he just got mugged." he said finishing with a wide smile while he made his light joke.

"Hey I didn't get mugged okay, I got these wounds from an important A ranked mission I just got back from!" Naruto shouted in his defense while being a little bit insulted he just had his injuries that were inflicted by Sasuke as mere mugging wounds.

"I see I see, well I sure would hate to see the other guy ahahahahas, but Naruto I have something I really wish to ask you but if you are unwell then don't worry about it okay?" Kuroshi finished in a flash leaning towards Naruto a little bit too closely for his comfort.

"uhh sure what is it?" The young Uzumaki responded backing away from the stranger who had his mouth a little too close to his own after remembering what happened the last time he was like this.

"Well you see I really need to talk to your villages Hokage about something rather important since I know it will become an issue later on if we enter unannounced, so do you think you could have her come here and talk to me on my behalf, I don't really know my way around your city well you see and I just cant leave them alone while I sight see so it's a real big problem for me." He carefully worded his sentence as to not provoke suspicion onto him self or Kamui and Tayuya who he ultimately decided not to name.

"Uh sure me and grandma Tsunade are pretty close so I don't see why she wouldn't agree to see you um whats your name anyways mister?" Naruto responded putting both hands flat on the ground in front of him when he arrived at the mister part.

"Oh I am terribly sorry Naruto-kun I am so ashamed I didn't say who I was after you told me your name!" He flinched for a second after saying the suffix in Narutos name half expecting him to pelt him with rocks or something like Tayuya would.

"My name is Kuroshi, Kuroshi Kurama, it truly is a pleasure to meet you my young friend!" With that Kuroshi bowed to Naruto before realizing that he hadn't even told Tayuya his and Kamui's full name when they first met either.

"_Another time I guess." _Kuroshi thought.

"Its nice to meet you Kuroshi and don't worry I will get the old lady to talk to ya so don't worry okay." Naruto grinned a wide grin as he saw the happiness in Kuroshi's face after hearing his words, it made him feel good that he was not just a help to someone but also was befriended by a complete stranger who attacked him by mistake

The two sat and talked for the better part of half an hour about nearly anything thought to be of value, however it was Naruto who did the talking and Kuroshi who did the listening since hw didn't have anything of real interest like all the ninja missions the young Naruto had been on and all the cool moves he knew. The only time Kuroshi really couldn't stop talking was when Naruto mentioned how much he loved ramen and that triggered them to talk about all the food they had ever eaten. Naruto did enjoy the attention he was getting and felt he was honestly being liked by some one out of their sheer interest in him and not because they were required to be together as he now thought of his relationship with his teammates.

Their talking was interrupted when Kuroshi noticed Kamui's presence just off at the end of the clearing, it was then he realized how long he hadn't reported back to his brother and Tayuya and felt they became impatient and came on their own.

"I am so sorry Naruto-kun but it seams my fellow travelers grew impatient with me and came on their own, oh you really should meet my dear brother Kamui, he is a bit on the quiet side but he is a good guy and I think you'd get along just fine Tayuya-chan although she can be a bit unpleasant sometimes."

For a reason unknown to Naruto he felt really uncomfortable after hearing the last name but didn't know why so he let it pass.

"Sure id love to meet your brother and your friend, where are they?" The young blond inquired while taking a brief survey around the surrounding area not seeing any one in sight.

"Ohh they should be here in a few moments from the feel of it, from somewhere behind me I am sure!" He turned around and took a small survey him self to spy Kamui as he pushed his way out of some brush and entered the small clearing near the river.

"That little dude in the coat is your brother right?" Naruto inquired looking him over after feeling an odd feeling from him that he just couldn't put his finger on.

"Yup that's my little Kamui there!" The tall Kuroshi responded as he stoop up and openly waved his right arm back and forth almost idiotically as if he was in a big crowed trying to get noticed.

Kamui only tilted his head up to look at his big brother before he shifted his glance at his new "friend" then lowered his glance and continued walking towards them.

Behind Kamui still in the brush came the mumbled shouting of a distant voice angrily talking to them self's about having waited so long.

"What the hell is that dips shit of your brother's problem huh?! We waited for over a fucking hour for his ass to get back…a whole fucking hour in silence." The young red head said remembering her and Kamui standing relatively side be side not speaking a word to each other the entire time Kuroshi had been away.

It was then as she cleared the brush herself that she seen Kuroshi standing on the other side of the river then she noticed next to him a rather familiar face.

The red headed Tayuya and the blonde haired Naruto stopped moving all together the moment they made eye contact , they simply remained wide eyed and not making a sound before they both yelled out at the same time and sound level…

"ITS YOU!?"


	6. Attacked From All Sides

**Disclaimer: I dont own Naruto.**

Their stand off felt like an eternity as they both stood still pointing their fingers at each other retaining the same open mouthed white eyed expression, but for Kamui and Kuroshi it had only been a few moments. Kamui smiled under his hood awaiting bloodshed once the two returned to their senses and as he hoped their moment of staring at each other ended.

"W-what the hell are you doing here?! Naruto shouted extending his right arm to point again while he stomped his foot forward in a demanding stomp.

"W-what's that you little shit?!" Tayuya retorted gripping both hands into fists readying to pound his face into oblivion.

"Aren't you suppose to be in some ditch or something?! Naruto now jumped around after confirming that those insults really did make it her.

"Ditch!? I'll give you a fucking ditch to be buried in you stupid little brat!" Screamed the fiery redhead nearly popping a blood vein after the "Ditch" comment.

"Ohhh yeah well just try it , I can beat you with one hand behind my back so believe it!" With that he crossed his arms and made a slight laugh before realizing he was in no condition to fight anyone, with that new revelation in his head the young blond nervously looked up to see she was already running across the river readying to make true on her words.

"S-shit!" Was the only word should be hospitalized Naruto managed to say as he threw his arms up to defend his face from her fist.

The impact lasted only a few seconds but it was enough to knock the bandaged blond off his feet and down to the ground a few feet away.

"How you like that you little freaking twerp, hurts don't it to know you're a piece of shit after all this time!" The mouthy red head now stood over the bandaged Naruto placing both hands on her hips and gave him an evil grin before reaching for her flute and taking it up to her lips.

She began to play a few notes to activate a genjutsu but was cut short when the spiky haired blond ninja cut her short with a fist full of sand thrown at her face, not exactly the classiest cool move he could have done but effective none the less.

"Arghhhhhh!?…y-you little shit! You think that's fucking funny?!" She screamed trying to get the sand out of her retinas, but what she didn't know was the snicker wasn't from her opponent but from a certain hooded overseer who was overly enjoying their little skirmish.

"_Damn it I don't have the chakra to deal with her right now, come on you stupid fox just give me enough for one rasengan!" _Naruto thought in his head while he tried to gather enough chakra to ward of the still immobilized Tayuya as she blindly swung in front of her thinking that he would use this opportunity to try and punch her out.

Naruto got his answer when the dark voice of the nine tailed fox spoke back to him _**"That's right kit, your nothing with out me so use my powers and kill my enemies!"**_

"_Shut up fox, I am not gonna kill anyone cause you want me too, I just need to beat her!" _Responded an enraged Naruto as he now faced off the foxes cell in his own mind.

"_**Ohhh kit?, like you just wanted to beat the Uchiha child? You nearly doomed us both because you refused to use all of the power I had so graciously granted your ungrateful heart, had you used lethal force you would not have lost to such a weak attack!"**_

"_I wanted to bring Sasuke back alive fox not in pieces, Sakura would never forgive me if I killed him…either could I." _The small child responded to the massive red being who angrily glared behind his bars.

"_**But that girl would have forgiven the Uchiha child had he killed you!" **_The fox commented with a grin seeing that the small boy had no response to his words before continuing belittling him further.

"_**When you pathetically beg me for power kit…I expect you use it to crush those fools into ash, kill this one or she will kill you in your beaten state, weakness is returned with death child, never forget that!" **_As he finished he gave out a mighty roar as he laughed at the battered and weakened small blond child, he was content knowing that his mind games would ultimately make his container more like he wanted him in his present condition.

In a moment the young spiky haired blond found himself back in the battle field with Tayuya finally recovering from his sand attack, Naruto wanting to save all his chakra into one attack saved it the best way he could think of.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto screamed out as he began to form it into his hand as a shadow clone of himself helped form it into a deadly attack.

Now the atmosphere the their fight changed, it simply wasn't two enemies exchanging blows and words, now it became an intense battle as Tayuya stared down the young Uzumaki's greatest attack. Even the two spectators stood in awe as Naruto formed his chakra into a massive attack. Kamui whose face was smiling a moment ago now was frightened as the young boys eyes turned from light blue to dark red and his hands began to look clawed and animalistic. Kuroshi who had been raising his hand and calling out to both of them to stop for a moment now lost any and all amusement and light outlook on the situation as it became more dire.

"They'd really kill each other!" Kuroshi said out loud to him self as his new friend was about to rush his current one.

Tayuya jumped back then slapped her palm flat on the ground summoning her doki's to defend her as Naruto rushed her nearly overflowing with power.

"I cant believe this fucking brat has to make me go into my second form as well, damn these Leaf scum to hell!" Tayuya spat out as she allowed her curse seal to extend and cover her body making her transform into her demonic self once more.

Just as Naruto was about to close that gap between himself and her familiars, in a poof of smoke and leafs Kuroshi appareled and grabbed the rasengan ball with his right hand forcing his grip threw the vortex of swirling wind and chakra and took hold of the spinning ball , almost instantaneously as he grabbed it it exploded on itself throwing Naruto who a moment ago looked wide eyed at the grey haired teen as he appeared so suddenly to take the attack, back into the field where he quickly recovered and looked passed the blue mist of chakra and wind.

Kuroshi's right arm hung limp and torn, his sleeve that covered it were shredded away and his flesh severely gashed from what looked like swirling slashing caused by a massive swords slashing along and around his arm but really was caused from the release of the attack dispersing on him. His right hand was blood red and horrifically burnt and mangled, the blood that barley was able to drip had to mound around the blood that was instantly coagulated and fried. The ground where Kuroshi once stood at impacted had two dug in scraps from where his feet tried to anchor himself to stop the blow before being thrown back into Tayuya's large muscular Doki.

Tayuya, Kamui and Naruto whose eyes now returned to their previous blue state all stood in shock at the sight of him.

"**B-brother?! **Kamui shouted out breaking his normal whisper like speech as he ran up to his taller brother and inspected his arm before trying to looked at his face , but the force and expulsion of chakra and wind had blew back his hair in the impact then sucked it down as it imploded in his hand made his hair complexly lost its shape and just hung down over his face covering his convulsive spasms of pain.

Kuroshi slowly lifted his head then dropped it suddenly then slowly lifted it again showing a twisted pain filled smile under the mesh of grey hair.

"…T-t-that's…one HELL…o-of an…attack…N-Naruto k-kun….haehha..h-ehah…nearly…nearly took…" He paused for nearly a minute as he places his left hand over his scorched shoulder and slowly began healing it before he regained most of his composure, as he did both the redhead and blond boy looked at him in amazement as he slowly healed himself.

"N-early took my arm off…that's no way…to treat friends." He jaggedly spook trying to shrug off the immense pain by limping towards Naruto.

"W-what the hell were you thinking you freaking dumb ass, now your all messed up and shit!" Shouted Tayuya who was shocked at the little kids attack power and that that fool would take it full blast for her.

"Your protecting her?!" The young blond shouted realizing that he took the attack to block it from his sound enemy and her Doki summoning.

"B-bingo kiddo, I said…there was three of us…didn't I? Kuroshi retorted in a little more clear voice having already healed the gashes and burns all the way down from his dislocated shoulder to his elbow.

"Then that means your from the Sound village too then?!, And I thought you were really trying to be a friend when you have just leading me around like a sucker huh?!" The young ninja shouted out enraged at the idea of being used and lied too.

"W-wahh?, I am not from the sound village Naruto kun…besides, I had no idea who you were when I met you so don't get the wrong idea okay Naruto kun." The grey haired teen now completely regained his composure responded normally as he continued heal down to his rist.

"**..but…the pain brother?" **The small hooded figure asked while he placed both his small pale hands over Kuroshi's right arm and increased the healing process, a task that should have increased his pain double fold from killing the surrounding flesh then replacing it with new cells.

"Don't worry bout that dear brother, I already severed the nerves in my arm a little bit ago so feel free to accelerate the process, my hand will need the most attention since its completely fried right now…OI Naruto you broke practically every bone in my hand…you owe me when we get in town."

"…Town…owe you.?! Tayuya responded bewildered at those words before continuing.

"What the hells wrong with you two , this is a fucking fight to the death and I didn't need your ass jumping into to it like that you freak, you get your arm fucked up and you don't even give a shit…ARGHH that punk is the enemy you stupid retard, just you watch I will end this shit with this one move you little spiky haired rat!"

Tayuya now brought the flute to her lips once again and began playing a few notes that drifted into the air with a haunting melody that snapped the Doki to attention as they received their orders and began to run past the two travelers to Naruto who had no chakra left at his disposal.

"H-hey stop it for a minute Tayuya." Muttered Kuroshi as they brushed by him to attack the defenseless blond haired boy who up until a few minutes ago was enjoying their time together.

"Fuck off loser, I didn't come here to chat or make friends or even to breath…I am here to get revenge shit head you got that, I don't give a shit about what I told you got that…these people…its cause of them I have nothing now so that's why I am gonna kill you squirt."

The notes directed the blind demons hands to Naruto who's mind had blanked out on what to do besides block, try and dodge while his ribs burned like they were on fire and with good reason since he had already pulled most of his muscles when he tried to blast the sound ninja away with his rasengan attack.

As the three demonic figured raised their weapons and twisted head in one of their cases, Kuroshi lost all emotion in his face after seeing how stubborn his red haired travel companion was going to be at dooming her fate by murdering one of the cities ninjas right out side their walls, as soon as they were about to pound the damaged Naruto the grey haired shin obi dashed in front in the same style he did for Tayuya and grabbed the massive club with his right hand with just enough force to slowly redirect it away from both him and Naruto's skulls.

The moment when he stopped the club the force from it completely shattered the dry husk of burnt skin and blood that formed around what was once his mangled hand, not too soon after redirecting the club a massive knuckle with blades flew passed him to pulverize the small child so the grey haired teen instinctively spun his body around to re-direct that attack with a spinning wheel kick much to his own surprise. The last Doki how ever Naruto managed to avoid on his own as it spun into the ground trying to deliver a lethal spinning head butt which the still spunky Naruto jumped back from after pushing all his force into his legs.

The surprised redhead watched wide open eyed as her supposed ally just helped save her intended targets life.

"_He saved that damn brats life…that…that!" _She began to think to her self before finishing aloud for all to hear.

"MOTHER FUCKER!" She howled throwing her head back slightly at his actions.

Both Naruto and Kamui jarred their heads at her frustration filled cry before she lowered her gaze to them glaring out an immense hate filled glare at anything thing or one who was in her sight. Her intended glare target however didn't even hear her frustrated scream as he was over lost in what Kamui feared to be another blood lust awakening.

Said brother was lost in beating back the large muscular figures which Tayuya now commanded to attack him as well while she shot her hate filled gaze upon him as he dodged her minions with little effort with a combination of replacement jutsu and shadow clone jutsu.

While the grey haired shin obi's flurry of attacks didn't harm the much more muscular demons he was however able to continue attacking while maintaining a continues defensive stance flipping off of their attacks demonstrating an unpolished style of taijutsu.

Naruto who had been focusing on restoring his chakra was more then confused as to why the person who just defended the Sound Five maiden was now battling off her minions while laughing to himself and grinning, understandably the situation didn't make much sense to either him or Tayuya who frantically blow out more notes to increase their attacks. Only the silent hooded figure had the answer as to why Kuroshi had seemingly lost it and the pale figure also knew the only way to snap him out of it before things became much worst.

In a split instant the small Kamui appeared behind the young flutists back and placed both hands flat against her spin causing her to realize someone was behind her, but the moment she was about to swing around she felt a surge go through her body which stopped her in her tracks and left her partially paralyzed.

Her knees began to buckle under her causing her to drop down on them and stop her flute playing, before long the young sound nin fell face first barley raising her arms to cushion her heads impact. All feeling from her waist down was nearly lost.

"W-whaat….the fuck did you do to me you…freak?!" She grunted out of her arms as she tried and forced herself to move, as she began to realize her chakra flow was cut and not responding to where she wanted it to go.

Her Doki puffed away in a cloud of small causing the grey haired shin obi to stop his deepening decent into blind rage and actually snap out of it and look at his surroundings. What he saw has Tayuya lying on the ground as her curse seal began to retract there by reversing her second form transformation.

Her skin slowly became light again and her horns drew back slowly into her head causing her immense pain which was the main reason why she disliked going into her second form so much.

"What the hell happened?!" The grey haired ninja shouted out loud to no one in particular then frantically looked around for an answer.

Naruto was the first to answer cutting Kamui off as the small child was about to explain the situation in its entirely.

"You fought those three large dudes and the little guy did something so now that sound girl is down on the ground." He said very amazed that the grey suited man didn't know what had happened.

Tayuya was the next to answer after the pain of her horns going back into her head passed, cutting off Kamui once again while he tried to explain.

"What the fuck did he do to me?!" Was all she screamed out as she grew more panicked and desperate to move again.

Though Tayuya hadn't realized it yet she had grown a intense fear of immobility or lack of control in movement, this was due to the feeling she got after slowly being crushed by the tree that pressed her life right out of her that she had no control to stop it, she hated that feeling of helplessness.

"Why can't I fucking move?! Why the fuck can't I fucking move?! She screamed as she tried to flail on the ground as she grew more and more irrational.

Just then she felt a faint nudge against her causing her to violently swing her head around to see Kamui's sandal nudge her elbow a bit. She looked up at him like a wild cornered animal about to attack.

"…**Do you…ever shut up Tay-u-ya?** He asked causing her to go into a hysterical rant of swearing and yelling uncontrollably.

"Kamui what did you do?!" The now rational Kuroshi yelled as he ran to Tayuya's side making the hooded boy back away like a child does when their parents come to clean a mess they had made.

The young Naruto who up until this point had been considering what to do as well what was going on till now, he processed all the facts in his head trying to make sense of it. After afew moments of deep conversation he came to a few conclusions.

"_That girl is the one of the ones who kidnapped Sasuke."_

"_She and her team fought me and my friends."_

"_I hate her for that."_

"_She is an enemy to my village"_

"_And now she is helpless…." _

"_**What's wrong kit, kill your prey like a good little boy!" **_The foxes booming voice cut in as Naruto's thoughts began to grow dark.

"_Shut up fox, she is already beaten." _The young blond shouted at the cage in his own mind.

"_**Ohh and you are satisfied kit? To let the Uchiha's aid live after you have failed in your promise to the girl?" **_The massive demonic red fox grinned knowing Naruto's weak spot all too well.

"_I said shut the hell up, that's all Orochimaru's fault, I wont be a murderer!" _Naruto announced raising his fist up at the cages bars.

"_**You would deny your self the satisfaction of seeing one of your enemies dead kit?, You humans are an amusing lot, for you would take up arms for lesser affronts made against you and walk the path of death and war for lesser things yet you deny your heritage and let your enemy live and grow in numbers?" **_The massive fox retorted as he curled 3 of his massive tails under his chin and made a cushion as he waited in earnest for a reply.

"_W-what the hell are you talking about?!" _Shouted a confused Naruto who couldn't see the grander implications the wise fox knew all too well.

"_**It is your races heritage to kill one another kit, you can not deny this…since your people came to be dominate above all over they have laid waste to nature and each other…it is your way, so it intrigues me that you a lonesome human your self would deny your races tendencies with out reason." **_The demon said tilting his massive head while licking the fur above his lips.

"_Who cares about that, I know myself and that's all that matters to me, I am not a murderer and I certainly wont be one for a giant assed fox in a cage."_

A claw slammed against the bars as it reached to shred the small child.

As Naruto flinched he saw he was back in the field with the angry redhead nearly foaming at the mouth as Kuroshi placed his handsover her trying not to agitate her more by touching her while she couldn't move.

"You removed our chakra Kamui?!" Kuroshi shouted back at the small hooded figure who shook under the anger in his voice.

"…**You were…losing control…again…so…I stopped the cause!" **As he shouted the last part he picked his gaze from the ground and gave his older brother a wide smile and grin.

Kuroshi remained quiet for a moment as he passed on a portion of his chakra into Tayuya who now while gripping her fists readying to attack all three of them forced her self to listen to their conversation since they were discussing something they did to her that she didn't realize.

"Its okay then Kamui I understand but please help me restore the pathways okay?" He pleaded as he transferred just enough that the red haired demon of the Sound regained her mobility and chakra flow.

"…**No...I will fix her later brother…let her know…just how…bad her condition is for awhile…" **Soon after ending his broken speech proclamation he jumped back into the dense tree line back across the river.

His voice echoed out at nearly a whisper from the tree's.

"…**meet you later…brother…enjoy them…"**

Naruto who quietly sat and watched the whole scene while recovering finally stood up and stared at Tayuya who had returned to her feet and looked at the tree line for a moment before turning around and looked at Kuroshi with a glare that could equal the death gaze of Tsunade her self, even Naruto cringed as she looked at him with that hatefilled intent.

She slowly took hold of his collar with both hands tight enough to force him to drop down to her level or be strangled, she pulled the end of his nose level to the top of her forehead then slowly looked up at him forcing him to return eye contact.

Her fiery red hair covered her face and only her dark brown piercing eyes shown as she glared up at him causing him to sweat and lose breath. Under any other circumstances he would have blushed from being so close to her eyes, her hair, her face…and her lips but right now he felt more like he was being pulled into a spike wall.

"Now what the fuck…" She tightened her grip on him choking him firmly and pressing his nose against her forehead harder "Did you two creepy, fucking bastards do to me?!" She gave him a slight head butt by loosening her grip then pulling him in again.

He tried to look away but her firm grip kept him against her head so she could bore a hole right threw his soul with her glare.

"After we healed your bodily wounds we discovered that you were paralyzed…we couldn't heal all the crushed bones and joints not to mention your central chakra paths along you back was severed; I told you before you wouldn't have been able to do all the things you are able now with out our healing but even we couldn't completely restore your back with out restoring and unblocking the chakra paths and spinal cord with our own chakra since we both have a natural healing ability…"

The red haired kunoichi lost the intense firm look in her eyes and slowly let go of his collar then looked down to her unsteady knees and even went to far as to rub her right hand under the back of her shirt and feel along her back only to flinch when she pressed her fingers against the unnatural bumps and displacements, small but still there along her spine.

She slowly let her body sit down then layed on the ground and let herself stare up at the sky in deep contemplation at new information given to her. She was now…has been paralyzed since she was brought back and they kept her stable against her knowledge.

Naruto's natural concern over took his desire to force where Sasuke was for the moment out of him, he could tell something was wrong if the foul mouth kunoichi who beaten and tortured him and his friends was now subdued by a simple conversation.

Taking a few steps near her and Kuroshi who only looked down at the grass on the brink of…crying? He stopped a relative distance away from her position and stood over her and forced him self to ask. "Hey…are you okay?"

Tayuya slowly shifted her head to the bandaged spiky haired blond child she had tried to kill a few minutes ago, she gave him a dry stare before finally opening her mouth. "Didn't you plan to beat me to death to find out where that Uchiha clown is?"

Naruto stood cold at her sentence since she was right, he shouldn't be pitying her, he should be forcing the location of every single place Sasuke might go with Orochimaru however before he could continue his interrogation she uncharacteristically answered the question he was about to ask.

"I don't know where that ass clown went to now and I don't give a shit so feel free to do me the favor of killing me now brat and save everyone else the trouble…"

"What the hell is your problem, last time we met you were all pounding the hell out of us trying to stop us from getting Sasuke back and now you don't even care about that?!, man what kind of ninja are you?"

She rested her head back against the cool earth then lean all the way up in an upright position and turned her self around to face the bandaged up load mouth, once she found her body stable she sat back then slouched forward and gave him a cold dead stare.

"I am the kind that no one cares about when they die."

This time Naruto didn't know how to respond to her. She was the enemy after all, why should they care if she died? Yet at the same time his sincere helpful positive nature kicked in even though it was to help someone who he hated.

"Hey, it doesn't matter what kind of ninja you are, someone in your team and village cares about you, I know that feeling all too well but if you let it convince you then you will never see them for who they are so believe it!"

Tayuya looked wide eyed at him, if there was one thing Naruto was good at it was…making her laugh.

"B-believe it h-hah…hahah…hahahahahah….wow do you even listen to your self twerp? She asked while holding her ribs in side splitting pain at how stupid he just sounded.

"W-what?"

"You sounded like a complete fucking idiot just now, and to think you made it by all of us and have the nerve to stand there and say "It doesn't matter what kind of ninja you are, someone will care." to me and be serious about it."

She began laughing hysterically again not even four feet from him from just thinking about it again in her mind.

"Hey let me ask you something golden boy, just who the fuck do you think joins Sound in the first place huh?" She placed her hands on her knee's waiting eagerly for his response.

"Uhhh I am not su-" She cut him off for fear of another brilliantly retarded sentence that would crack her up again.

"I will tell you fool, only outcasts, nobodies, freaks, and the fucking rejected and shunned join that place brat and let me tell you something else, that ass Uchiha is one hell of a freaking freak now…yeah he will fit in so well I bet, him and his purple freaking wings and long ass emo hair."

"Y-you seen Sasuke?! He bounced forward with his eyes shinning with hope and regret.

"I saw the fucker, tried to take my head off with that fucking jab shit of his so I hope he gets it up the ass hard from that snake bitch." She crossed her arms disapprovingly as the image crossed into her mind soon followed by a shudder.

"So where is he already?!" The blond stomped while raising his fist at her.

"You got shit stuck in your ears or something, I don't know where that fucker is now."

"But your with Sound so you should know!"

She gave him a low growl out from under her bangs as she thought back to the past few days events.

"She left the Sound Naruto-kun." Kuroshi retorted looking away at the tree line trying to spy if his brother was still there.

"…so why'd you come here?" Naruto said slowly a little unnerved that this would be the first place she would go.

"…"

"…"

"…"

No one said a word for awhile.

"…I don't fucking know any more twerp, you know I planned to come here to fucking kill all your leaf asses but looks like im stuck as some useless gimp for awhile." Puffing the hair out of her mouth that blew down from the sudden gust of wind after she finished her sentence.

"Well…why not join the Leaf village?" Naruto cautiously said not sure how he could even begin to help her or more to the point why he should.

After hearing this she turned her head over to him letting her long red bangs drop over her face a little and looked at him completely surprised.

"…Are you completely retarded?" Not sounding sarcastic as it was a serious question, she then waited to hear his response.

"W-what?!" Was all he could say not seeing any flaw in his idea.

"…Stupid Leaf shit head…have you forgotten…I am an enemy to your village numb nuts and besides that I hate you and the rest of your freaking crap pile of peasants!"

"Then fucking leave already!" Naruto finally shouted out tired of him and his village being insulted when he is just trying to help his enemy of all people.

Shocked and stunned Tayuya stared back at him while Kuroshi made the mental note that her language was infectious to say the least.

"Y-yeah well I will, your asses aren't even worth my time anyway…both you and that rat bitch aren't worth all this shit right now."

"Rat bitch?" Naruto asked rather "Dumbly" as the red haired kunoichi viewed it.

"Yeah that stupid rat that lead you losers after that Uchiha clown." She spat out bitterly now feeling the desire to kill them after pushing down her depressed state.

"Ohhh you mean Shikamaru…wait you want to kill him?!"

"Yeah genius or didn't you hear, that rat and the blond bitch left me under a tree after I whooped his ass." Her anger and malice growing more and more with each word.

"He hasn't really mentioned the mission, none of us have really." The blond responded honestly only to sap the fight right out of her with his words.

"_Its not even news with these fuckers that they killed us…" _She thought rather upset to hear that.

"Hey perv ball lets go…I don't even feel like being at this dump right now." She then stood up and got her Barings.

"Ohh and have that little shit of a brother of yours fix my fucking back or I will make him even shorter you hear me damn it."

"…Alright I will Tayuya, we should leave then…sorry Naruto-Kun can't hang out with ya today but it was fun." He said with a smile before following Tayuya who emotionlessly walked away from the spiky haired blond with a consistent limp that she didn't have before the attack on her.

"Wait that's it?!, you try and kill me and now you walk away after dissing my village and people!" Shouting louder as she walked away.

"As much as I would love to beat the shit out of you all day; my backs fucked up no thanks to you fuckers so that's more important then listening to another stupid fucking thing you say!" Tayuya stopped and swooshed her head and hair around giving him a death glare.

"Well if its just a doctor you need…I mean granny Tsunade could help you I guess.."

"…Tsunade your Hokage…you don't stop saying stupid shit do you brat, it was your damned squad under her fucking orders that did this shit to me so why in the flying fuck would she even begin to give a shit about me!" She howled with all her might making Naruto back off a bit.

Before he could answer she turned her back and started stomping away. Naruto had to admit to himself that Tsunade would never help her or any other minion of Orochimaru for that matter so what he has been saying was in fact stupid and pretty much an insult.

"…Hey demon girl…sorry you got messed up but…that was out of both our hands, we were opposing ninja after all…"

After a moment she gave out a small smile from the side of her face. "Finally you said something that wasn't completely retarded fool but…your still a dumb ass."

Naruto simply smiled back thinking he looked cool after saying that.

"Hey Naruto!" A familiar voice called out to him snapping attention of everyone to the top of the great wall that surrounded the village to the figure of a tall busty woman.

"Its good to see your playing nicely with the enemy Naruto but you really should have listened to your doctors orders, we know best after all." She said holding both her hips then two other figures appeared next to her.

"_Fucking hell, speaking of that damned bitch…shit we cant just walk out of here now ergghhh what the hell!" _The red heads mind raced at the speed of light now that someone who could clock even Orochimaru out in a fight was standing above her staring her down with that devilish grin.

"H-hey Tsunade-baachan what are you doing here!" Naruto shouted out nervously while scratching at the back of his head.

"Not much kid we just got reports of some serious fighting outside our gates so we did what any smart shin obi village would do…we investigated and what should we find but one of Orochimaru's best and not to mention the false Leaf ninja from yesterday, its good to see you both saved me a boat load of trouble looking for yous by dropping on our door stop like this."

"Fuck, this is bad damn it!, hey cotton ball we need to get the fuck out of here fast, we cant take that bitch!" The flutist shouted for his ears only.

As Tayuya looked over to her traveling partner was standing she saw no one was there then looking up saw him being drawn at blades edge by the ANBU guard and a very surprised Hokage who was a little beside herself someone would run up to them while showing no signs of attacking them.

"You got a death wish or something?" Tsunade leaned back expecting him to try some close ranged attack.

"You're the Hokage aren't you, the famous Tsunade the healer and Sannin everyone's been talking about aren't you? He pressed the question again in a fast motion.

"Yeah that's me faker and about that I got a lot of questions to ask you and your little friend down there buddy"

"That means you got my letter right!" His loud sentence replacing her cockiness with dread.

"Ohhh don't tell me that was you…" The busty Hokage held her forehead with her hand sensing the on coming headache.

"Actually great Hokage-sama that was from Tayuya, I only wrote it to what she said!"

"_Damned liar, what's he trying to do." _Tayuya thought as she sensed more ninjas in the area.

"So what your saying is Tayuya of the Sound Four is the one who gave us the location of the base Orochimaru and Sasuke was at out of the goodness of her heart so selfishly?"

"Yes!, Isn't that right Tayuya-chan! " He shouted down to her with a wide grin hoping she wouldn't beat him later for that comment.

"_That damned mother fucking getting it in so casually knowing I can't beat the shit out of him!" _She spat in her own mind.

"Yeah that's right I gave you that info so lay off the armed guards damn it…im not here for a fight." She slowly added lying out of her ass.

"Yeah sure just mind telling me who exactly was fighting early…Naruto go ahead and tell me who was fighting." She cocked a glance at him and noticed his reddened face.

"Well Tsunade-baachan its like this see I-" He was cut off by a telepathic message.

"_Please Naruto tell her it was Tayuya and my brother fighting please I don't want to see her locked away to rot and die in a small cell please I beg you narut-ARGHHHH!"_

"_**Be gone you foul intruder or I will use as much of my power to kill you where you stand that I can!"**_

The presence of the Nine Tailed Fox forced him out of Naruto's head much to the tall teens surprise. He then soon took hold of his head and began gasping from the immense force and pressure placed upon his unprotected mind.

"…She fought the little guy that was here Tsunade-baachan." He answered her calmly before looking up at Kuroshi who smiled at him for telling the half truth.

"Is that right Naruto?, well it seams there's another of you guys here huh…well I am guessing you expect me to not arrest yous or something cause of that little note you gave me don't you Tayuya?

Her only response was a grunt since she knew it wouldn't be that easy to escape Tsunade's iron grasp.

"I will tell you what, give me three days to think about it, in that time you two will be taken contained inside the city till I decide got that?"

"Bahhh three days?! If you are just gonna arrest me don't make me wait three days for it and besides that it takes you three days to decide, some Hokage you are." She added the last comment full of sarcasm.

"Like I said three days, one day to try and actually get past the desire to see you dead, the second day to try and rationalize the situation and the third day to decide so you are getting such a grand treatment of me considering it so either accept the three days or try and run to see how far you get" She finished with a devilish smile as she signaled more ANBU to appear from the wall and tree line.

Tayuya slowly glanced around at their numbers and their positions around her.

"_Damn that Kamui!, if my back wasn't so fucked up I could chance fighting back and making a break for it but now these fuckers would catch me if my legs give freaking way."_

"Fine…Hokage…" Feeling dirty after saying those words.

"Good to see we have an agreement well now, please follow my esteemed ANBU to your quarters, Naruto a moment."

The fifth Hokage jumped off the wall guarding the city down to the small blond.

"Your going to tell me everything Naruto you hear me, this is a very serious situation." Leaning down giving him a deep glare before turning away and leading the ANBU and their "Guests" through the gates into the city where they would reside for three days until Tsunade's final decision.

"I blame you and that little shit headed brother of yours for all this shit you know." Tayuya barley whispered to Kuroshi and she followed him with a slight limp into the Leaf village.

"I know Tayuya…I know but have some faith okay?"

"Faith…you had better hope I don't kill you myself prick!"

A few minutes later everyone was gone inside the Leaf village while a pair of very vigilant blue eyes watched over the entire scene and planned his next move.


	7. Home sweet home

_

* * *

_

_Strath here finaly with the next chapter and what a chapter it is, I am introducing the first deffinate pairing which was actualy a last minute decision so im not gonna say what it is right now_

The moment the two gates clanged shut the leaf villages two new "guest" met the eyes of confused villagers and more ninjas who were fairly surprise to see the young flutists face walk through the doors.

"Naruto tell me everything that happened okay," Taking him a side from the hustling crowed that was gathering to see what was going on.

"Sure Tsunade-baachan but there's really not much to say I mean I was swimming in the river after training and I met the tall guy ummm Kuro something and we hung out for awhile."

"So he wasn't your enemy then?" The Fifth asked intently narrowing her glance.

"No but I mean he attacked me by accident when he was fishing, I was down there but that was a complete mistake." He said shaking his head at the thought that he really intended to kill him.

"I see and the Sound girl?" Her voice becoming cold.

"She came with his brother umm Kamui I think and…" He paused remember Kuroshi pleading with him in his mind momentarily. "He attacked her while me and her were shouting at each other, he did something to her back well I mean from the sound of it she got injured in their mission to retrieve Sasuke and the little guy messed her up worst." He then looked at her while she contemplated over what he had said.

"So not only do I have to decide what to do with her and the imposter I need to take a look at her for medical attention, this sucks Naruto.." Lowering her head feeling that headache acting up again.

"What do you mean Tsunade-baachan?" He asked sincerely oblivious to everything that was going on.

"I didn't want to let you know Naruto but we got information where Sasuke was and we got it from her apparently but he escaped."

"What do you mean, she told us where he was and you didn't let me know?!" He shouted stopping their ANBU escort and their two new travel buddies.

"The mission failed but we took the base Naruto so we are gathering all the information we could get from their base and besides Naruto, that perv is coming to train you tomorrow for along time so you have to focus on that now Naruto not finding Sasuke just yet okay, leave that to us." Placing a consoling hand on his shoulder reassuring him that it was the best plan of action.

"Okay I will but what are you going to do with them?" Pointing back to the caravan of ANBU with their prisoners in the middle.

"We have more then enough cell's to keep them I guess." Adding a slight snicker under her breath.

"Hey!" The knuckle head shouted back snapping his villages leader to his attention. "Didn't you just say you were gonna think about it for three days?!" Giving her a scowl.

"Don't give me that Naruto you know as well as I do that she is and has been a threat to this village and all who live in it, do you really think the Hokage can just wave a known enemy away and pardon them for their crimes just-this-once?" She now towered over him reminding him of her authority.

"But you made a promise and the promise of the Hokage needs to be absolute and not a lie, I don't care if she is an enemy." He stepped up nearly forcing her to move her head back.

"Naruto you have to understand my position as the leader of this village, my actions and decisions need to be that of the will of the village so I have to do what's best for the village and that means I cant just pardon her because she left us a note…this world isn't so simple Naruto." The busty blond now placed both hands on each of his shoulders and looked him in the eyes knowing that he was the kind of person who cares to much and is kind at heart.

"I understand that really I do but I mean she helped us out and left that bastard Orochimaru to boot so we cant just ignore her and stick her in a cell for the rest of her life for putting her neck out for us, even if the rest of the village just sees her as an enemy we caught you know she choose to come to us."

"…_Naruto your such a good hearted person, you don't see this wasn't an act out of the good of her heart but that she's just using us for what ever reason." _She thought while looking into his clear blue eyes.

"So what should I do Naruto huh?, let her roam our streets with a grudge against us?"

"Just promise me you will stay true to your word okay Tsunade-baachan?, I know they choose you to be the Hokage for a reason and not Ero-Sensei heh." He gave her that sincere grin she loved to see so much.

"You got it kid, I promise to you Naruto-kun that I will keep my promise to her and truly consider it…" Pausing while she let her mind wander into all of the fun that might come out of having a former Sound ninja around.

"Even if I need to be a little creative in how to accommodate her being free within these walls." Finishing with a wide devilish grin that made Naruto's hair stand on end by just imagining what she could possibly have in mind.

"That's umm great to hear grandma Tsunade but umm you don't needa be all evil about it." Looking away with a blush on his face as her enormous breast bounced in place from her scheming.

Meanwhile the ANBU guard stayed well in place waiting for their leader to finish her conversation with the young genin much to the displeasure of one of their prisoners.

"Look at them fuckers…freaking pathetic how they pal around in public like that." Angrily barked a rather pissed off and anxious Tayuya who thought about escaping while they talked the entire time.

"Ohh I don't know Tayuya I think it looks kinda cute to me." Smiled Kuroshi back at her as he stood and watched their conversation intently.

"Cute?!, bahh I heard that bimbo has a thing for young boys…" She then lowered her head away from their direction as if repulsed before continuing. "I bet she let that kid have a go at her already, the bitch."

"Really? Hmmm could be from how chummy they are but he doesn't seam the type to do that in my opinion Tayuya." commented the tall grey nin with a hint of seriousness.

"Yeah your probably right since the twerp isn't related to the bitch after all…right?" Her tone more question like then just being sarcastic.

"How would I know I just met him Tayuya." Retorted a confused Kuroshi.

"Yeah you met him for over an hour while we waited in the fucking woods for your dumb ass so don't even try and tell me you two didn't talk the whole freaking time cause you and him seam like the type of losers to hang out in a filthy magazine store together and drool like idiots over the damned pages." Replying with complete bitterness in her voice at the thought of it.

"Hmm maybe." Adding a big smile and stressing the "maybe" with a childish tone.

"…Damned weirdo." Was all she responded with seeing that her insults right now would only fuel his immature nature giving the severity of their situation.

Tsunade now having been defeated once again by Naruto's big heart ordered the caravan of ninjas to move on to their destination of their white interrogation room smack dab in the middle of their military building located on the edge of the town looking across to the Hokage Tower.

That night Naruto slept unsteady thinking about all the events that have transpired since Sasuke left him and his team to join Orochimaru, he also wondered about the new training he was going to be having with Ero-Sensei come the morning or as he suspected the short attention span of the pervert maybe in the afternoon or night. Tsunade also spent her night with much trouble as she argued with her self over what to do with her new guests, she already had Ibiki the leader of the ANBU Torture and Interrogation Force to ask them the basic questions and forbid him form implementing any of his more colorful means of questioning, a point she made clear to get across twice with certainty that they wouldn't be harmed physically or mentally, this was something he argued with her about but decided not to attempt against her will.

In their large white interrogation room however Tayuya's and Kuroshi's time was spent with Tayuya getting a few quick jabs and kicks against his gut for that "Tayuya-Chan" and a few more hits for the situation they were in because of him, this beating was something Ibiki allowed since they were in his mind already weakening their defenses so if the time came to get into their heads he would play off this as a front door.

Thankfully Tsunade had considered their stay in the room over cells and provided two sleeping bags for them, two pillows and a few blankets, since the dull white room only had a large white wooden table and a few chairs that they had to remove anyway for risk of them being turned into weapons against them. They were allowed bathroom breaks and meals when ever they were hungry instead of throwing some slop at them from the prison cells. And as promised the perverted novelist came to pick Naruto up right in the morning to begin their extensive training for what the pervert thought to be a couple of years giving the severity of the situation now, they didn't have time to relax or mess around.

While the new mornings light shown across the sky and shinned into the face of a serious Naruto who planned on fully taking advantage of this new training regiment and a rather disappointed pervert who was a little upset they couldn't just spend a few hours in Konoha's famous hot springs. That same light flowed through the Fifth Hokage's windows as she spent the previous night deeply considering the young Uzumaki's words to her about keeping her promise to Tayuya who had been a factor in the death of the very same old man Naruto looked up to and cared for so long.

"_I wonder Naruto-kun if you would be so quick to defend her if you only knew she's responsible for the old mans death like a lot of us do." _She sympathetically thought knowing full well that if he knew he would most likely beat her into the ground or even take the side of the counsel and vote to have her executed like they did last night when she brought up the situation to them.

"Im the freaking Hokage not them and I am the one who promised Naruto-Kun I would consider my other promise as Hokage to that damned sound brat so I am the one who will make the damn decision!" She shouted out load as she remembered said old people ordering her what to do in the name of the village when she was considering the village the whole time.

"Heh I know what I can do to piss off and satisfy those old conies and respect Naruto-Kun wishes to consider letting that bitch go free but its one hell of a gamble with really high stakes." She continued talking out loud to her self in her office.

"But after all that's what gambling is all about, taking a chance but…I need to plan this out so it wont go south on me but ohh well they will get their response in three days time like I said heh." She smirked leaning back into her chair readying the paper work with a devilish grim as she watched her handy work come into fruition before her eyes as she filled out each form bitterly yet joyfully knowing full well all the misery she would get to cause because of it.

And as those three days had been promised so had they about to end on the third day which left Tayuya extremely anxious and nervous while Kuroshi was more worried about Kamui doing anything stupid or getting in harms way but he sensed he was fine close by and decided to wait with Tayuya for the Hokage to make her final decision.

Their three days went by fast, well as fast as three days of waiting could go, their first day was filled with the sounds of Tayuya pummeling Kuroshi for their situation, the second was a silent day as neither spoke much and Kuroshi had to re examine Tayuya's back and add more of his chakra to make up for his brothers but their third day was nothing but long waiting periods as the time slowly creped towards another day which meant they were both in trouble and needed to escape asap but their fears of waiting a forth day went unrealized as Tsunade entered the room holding a two stacks of paper work in each hand and even some in her assistant Shizune's hands.

"Bout freaking time!" Tayuya shouted finally having a vent for all her pent up anxiety. Kuroshi only watched Tsunade enter the room and said nothing.

"So Tayuya and Kuroshi…how did you enjoy your stay in this room?" She said beginning to work her sinister plan on them.

"Enjoy the stay?!, What the fuck kinda question is that?!, We had to sleep and eat in this shitty room for three days remember!" Shouting at the Hokage with all her might while Kuroshi added his own thoughts.

"It was very hospitable Hokage-sama, I really do appreciate your accommodations." Adding a bow for good measure.

"Spineless worm!" The red head shot back at him while clenching her fist for him to show a little pride and dignity.

"Well at least that worm has some manners which is why I have this for him." She let one of her large documents fall out of her hands onto the table that was placed back into the room while they slept that night.

Carefully the grey haired ninja took the papers into hand and glanced over them for awhile before placing them down in front of her and said very seriously "I cant read." Then looked down at his lap.

The three women in the room (excluding the four ANBU guards stationed around the table as well as Ibiki who watched the events) were shocked to hear that he couldn't read a word of it, while Tayuya thought him to be an idiot to the core now the other females pitied him as being an under educated ninja.

"Well what that says is you will be released after you answer a few of my questions in person right here and now." Tsunade slowly spoke to him as Tayuya snatched his papers to make sure it wasn't a lie.

"Yeah that seams about right you illiterate dumb ass " Adding the illiterate part as a new weapon for her vocal armament against him.

"Anyway first off your name and village of which you hail from and are loyal too." Tsunade continued albeit rather irritated at Tayuya's rude comments to her so called ally.

"My name is Kuroshi Kurama and I hail from the Village Hidden In The Dusk, I have no loyalty ties to any village and am a traveler by my profession and lifestyle!" He shouted a little unnecessarily.

Ibiki and Tsunade were both shocked to hear that but Shizune and Tayuya were both unaware just what that meant, even a few of the ANBU guards jarred their heads at his statement.

"Did you just say the Village hidden by the Dusk?" the busty Tsunade asked again gaining more attention as it seamed to be a rather big deal to her.

"Lady Tsunade I have never heard of that village before do you know of it?" Urgently asked Shizune a little nervous at the serious look her long time friend now had on her face.

"For a lot of people Shizune that village is a fairy tail or myth since only certain people are actually aware of its existence in the world now a days, I know for a fact that each of the Hokages before me knew about it since the old man mentioned it a few times but only the Fourth Hokage had actually been there a few times." Her words became colder now remembering all the things she had heard about the village.

"So what's so fucking special about it!" Tayuya interrupted growing more impatient that that prick was going to be released while she most likely was going to be crammed in a cell.

While greatly annoyed by the sound ninjas crude interruption she decided it was best for her to explain it for everyone in the room.

"That village was formed secretly during the great wars of the past, it was formed by people with Kekkei Genkai abilities who fled their respective villages to flee the war, at first it was claimed to be a heaven for those who were out casts or marked for their abilities and bloodlines but after a few years it was said that in turned into a cesspool that harbored criminals and plotters against other villages." She placed her paperwork flat considering what it meant to have one of their villagers in her grasp.

"So another Sound." Tayuya added under her breath looking away from the Hokage and her traveling companion.

"Isn't that right Kuroshi?" Tsunade added seeing that he was surprised she knew so much.

"More or less." He replied while making an indecisive hand jester with both hands.

"So tell me, your village fell off the map for awhile and became the thing of legends awhile ago when it broke all contact with out side villages and moved away to some unknown location so just what happened to it?"

"Not much to say really, besides me and my brother their all dead." Replying calmly and indifferent to her question.

The room was silent now as every one processed his statement.

"What happened to your village for such a terrible thing to happen?" Tsunade finally broke the silence and asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

"Well as you should know since you do know so much, our village was despised by others since we were comprised of many different clans and members all possessing unique abilities, we were feared and hated for our birth rights by villages, clans and common people alike so we hid our village and became known as the legendary village of dusk that always moved our location every so often and couldn't be found but one day we were found and it doomed our village in a massive raid leaving just me and my brother to escape in the chaos and travel the countries." As he finished silence once again filled the room.

"_You poor things." _Shizune thought to her self after hearing his story.

"_He is definatly playing the pity card the bastard.." _Tayuya thought after she heard what he told her about his life before in the Sound base.

"I see…well we are gonna have to talk more in depth another time about that matter, any way you are free to live in Naruto's house with your brother once I speak with him as well, you should be thankful Naruto offered it to you before he left with that white haired buffoon anew days ago to train."

"Thank you Hokage-sama I really appreciate your hospitality to me and my brother." He stopped early before pressing the question. "What about Tayuya-Chan?"

He was soon returned with a sharp glare and a painful slow grinding sandal from the red haired demon formally of the Sound.

"That's a very good question you ask hmm what indeed." She smirked playfully swinging what Tayuya could only guess was execution rites.

"I decided…." She playfully paused seeing the anxiety and fear build up in Tayuya eyes as well as a great deal of hatred. "That I would allow you to live in Konoha outside of a prison cell."

As shocked as the entire room was no one was more shocked then Tayuya herself who just looked in disbelief at the busty blond while Kuroshi congratulated her in the back of her gaze.

"…your fucking with me aren't you, you think this is some fucking joke!?" The red head slammed her hands flat against the tabled sending the armed guard to draw their weapons at her throat nervously making her back down in front of the completely calm Hokage.

"Don't get me wrong Tayuya, a lot of the counsel wanted to see you publicly executed like a dog while others were content to have you tortured and rot in a cell for the rest of you life(making a quick glance at Ibiki before centering her gaze back to the former Sound member) while we forced out every single bit of information you knew about Orochimaru and the Sound." Her voice dark and filled with seriousness that gave the flutists enough mental images to make her feel sick.

"…so why let me go if you village is so hell bent to see me dead?" She cautiously asked knowing the answer might be worst then death itself.

"If you want some one to thank for convincing me then thank that hyper active knuckle head Naruto since he was the first to defend you." She finished remembering that only two people had anything to say in Tayuya's defense and only one of them actually really defended her and not were some shrugged off comments about her being smart and maybe useful.

"_Great now I owe that fucker!?" _She bitterly cursed to her self.

"Here's the deal Tayuya so take it now or leave it and live in a cell got it?" Snapping the flutists out of her thoughts.

" Y-yeah what?" sounding a little disorientated from being pulled from her mental images so suddenly.

"Were not gonna have you live in a cell or even in a room like this and we cant have you unsupervised in an apartment and have our people pulling baby sitter assignments all day and night keeping an eye on you." Adding her own little personal attacks that further infuriated the red head to no ends.

"So im gonna kill two birds with one stone and have you lived supervised with a capable ninja family, this doubles as surveillance and room and board for you understand? "

A sense of dread took Tayuya's body over at the thought of living with a family especially a Konoha shit family for however long she had too. Needless to say refusal was ever so close to her lips but life in prison was just more a little more worst to her.

"…Who is it?" Was all Tayuya could bring her self to say.

"First the rules before you accept." The Hokage said unable to suppress her smile and joyous tone.

"…What ever…what are they?" Feeling as if she was already defeated.

"Obviously you cant attempt an escape from this village, I don't think I need to explain to you why do I? The busty blond actually waited for a reply.

"…No you don't I think I get what happens if I try and leave, these fuckers and all their friends hunt me down like a dog right?" Adding a thumb pointing back to the ANBU stationed around her.

"Correct Tayuya, also it goes with out saying you cant attack anyone ninja or villager in the village as well."

Tayuya getting a little bolder after having her anger raised pushed the question. "And if one of said villagers or ninja attack me?" Throwing Tsunade a hateful glare.

"You cant go into public with out guard from either the family or the small ANBU division im going to appoint to you and your friend here but should the event occur where you are attacked do not kill do you hear me, I heard your good with genjutsu so your going to be allowed to use it only in defense then immediately report to an ANBU, your guardians or me if no ones around close enough."

"Wow…I didn't actually think that you considered my safely to tell you the freaking truth." She spoke her thoughts out loud amazed she really did say that.

"Like I said thank Naruto for pleading that I take situation with the honor of the Leaf village."

"…So you weren't.." Tayuya added a little bit too loud for her own good .

"What the hell you want from me cookies?!, I planned on just throwing you in a damp cell and forgetting you were here but he made me promise to give it thought so I did so shut the hell up!" Banging her own hands on the table breaking it as well as momentarily putting her own ANBU on guard to her from the sudden surprise before they immediately drew back before she had noticed.

Kuroshi merely laughed nervously at the sudden burst of strength the Hokage exerted.

"Anyway don't cause the family any trouble because they were the only ones who consider allowing you to live with them and if they decide they don't want you there well…" Allowing her devilish grin to reappear across her face. "You might have a very long wait in a cell waiting for another one to take the risk."

"…I get it so who are they already?, don't tell me their that Naruto's twerps family." Now having a scowl present on her face at the thought.

Tayuya's statement killed what joy Tsunade had mustered up thus far.

"He doesn't have a family so your out of luck." Her voice being cold enough to freeze blood itself.

Feeling the cold chill run up and down her mostly mangled spine from the Hokages dark voice and icy glare she kept quiet for the time being and thought about that for a moment, he didn't have a family yet seamed happy and overly energetic to her, at first she thought he was some pampered brat not some orphan.

"Any way…" She took a moment to compose her self and get to the moment she had been waiting all day to say. "Your going to be living with the Nara family for the time being, they shall be you parole officers, your guardians and caretakers until I see fit, so don't abuse their kindness and don't think they are suppose to cater to you got that?"

"..yeah I got it." Saying it in a miserable tone and a great deal of unease for some reason.

"Im going to have their son meet you soon and escort you to their home where your going to be staying, depending on how well you do…or not will determine what freedoms you will be allowed understand?" Once again getting joy at the approaching events to come she set in motion.

"Your enjoying every freaking moment of this aren't you…" The flutist added dryly after seeing that smile appear across her face again.

"Id be lying if I said I wasn't." Adding an extra wide grin to bore deep under the read heads skin.

"Lady Tsunade please try and contain your self this is a most serious matter and I don't think your positively reinforcing the situation by acting like this." Shizune began to scold her master out of her fun.

"Yeah yeah will its about time I reintroduced you to the son of the family your going to be staying with Tayuya." Her grin becoming toothy and nearly inhuman.

"_Reintroduce?" _The red head thought for a moment as the Hokage signaled a guard to knock on the door three times.

Soon after the door slid open revealing the ever slouched Shikamaru who had been impatiently waiting out side the door not hearing a word from the insolated room he was now walking into.

"Oi Hokage-sama I thought you'd have me out there all…" He stopped dead in his sentence the moment he seen that all too familiar fiery red long hair and those wide eyes and dropped jar staring at him unable to muster a single word. And before anyone could finally speak he turned around and left shutting the door behind him in huff as it escaping a nightmare.

Even through the room was partially insolated from sound he could hear the muffled out screaming from what he knew had to be the same girl he and his squad had fought in his last mission followed by a clearer(the moment the door was opened) "Get back in here Shikamaru!" From the Hokage her self.

As he slowly entered the room he saw that the young Sound nin's face was almost as red as her hair from the cursing he thankfully didn't hear but still rang in everyone else's ears so much so Ibiki considered using her for one of his torture exercises but shook off the idea mentally.

"This is a nightmare right?." He asked no one in general.

"Why the fuck is that rat here?!" Tayuya screamed once more bringing everyone a third of the way to being deaf.

Even Shikamaru wondered that sensing a trap of some sort in the air.

"Well its good to see you two remember each other." Added Tsunade practically dripping with delight.

"The fuck its good, I almost gutted that rat till that sandwhore showed up and dropped the forest on me!" Screaming anger and malice with each word more hate filled then the last.

"Well you better get over in since your going to be living in Shikamaru Nara's house." Letting out a tinge of delight slip out when she said "Nara" so Tayuya would instantly connect the dots.

"WHAT?!" they both shouted.

"That's right, everything's been finalized with Nara's family already." She added with a grin after flinching under their combined voice.

"What?!" Shikamaru projected alone while Tayuya threw her head into her hands and shook it violently.

"Hello there Shikamaru, my names Kuroshi and its really great to meet you, Tayuya has mentioned you a lot." The once quiet grey haired teen added with a grin.

"What?!" Shikamaru continued not even paying attention to the last sentence he just heard.

"Shikamaru get a hold of your self, she is going to be living with you and your family for awhile is all so that makes you her guard, her parole officer, and her caretaker and besides your family has agreed so get over it, this isn't just baby sitting it's a mission."

"_Im cursed…that has to be it…im fucking cursed!, What the fuck did I do to deserve this hell in the first place…wait that's it, I have to be in hell right now this has to all be some delusion im going to suffer for all eternity…that bitch killed me and now im suffering in hell ARGHHH WHAT THE FUCK!" _The young kunoichi mind raced uncontrollably as she came to the only conclusion that made sense to her at the moment.

It took the Fifth Hokage fifteen minutes to finally have them both in agreement, a feat that took a lot of raised voices, deathly glares and threats to both of them, life imprisonment alone for Tayuya and being her warden the entire time for Shikamaru namely since that was something neither of them wished for.

"So its agreed Tayuya that you will be living with the Nara's ?"

"…Yes." She answered hollowly.

"And its agreed that Tayuya will be your house guest till I see fit to change it Shikamaru?"

"…yes Hokage-sama its agreed…" Sounding equally as hollow.

"Good, now take her to your house and I will show Kuroshi to his….and Shizune." Snapping her attendant to attention.

"Y-yes Lady Tsunade?" She answered a little bit worried.

"You owe me a lot of drinks to replace this damn head ache with." Saying in the most tired way she could possible.

"….yes lady Tsunade." Dropping her head knowing it was gonna take A LOT of drinks.

After a few minutes more the room was cleared and Kuroshi waved farewell to Tayuya and Shikamaru who surprisingly haven't said a word since to each other.

"….My house is this way…" The procrastinator said giving a huge groan and beginning to walk down the hallway accompanied by two ANBU and a very depressed Tayuya who's only thing to add was "What ever fucking rat lets just go already…" Giving a slight groan herself as she trudged after him so not to get pushed by the damned black ops behind her.

Their walk through the streets was no easy picnic either since the ANBU in broad day light following a couple was an odd sight to see so they received many stares, thankfully only the ANBU and other ninjas knew the red haired girls true identity a fact that would soon change once it would be blabbed out by mean spirited or just the highly gossip typed ninjas to the rest of the town.

They both blindly slumped each not looking around or making a sound to each other or anyone else. Shikamaru was happy for the silence but knew it wouldn't last once she and him self recovered from the shock and would soon literally be at each others throats.

After much walking at a slow pace (which irritated the armed guards behind them) the two bitter enemies had finally arrived at the place of which they both would surly end up killing one another.

"…this is it…" His voice filled with dull discontent since this was now her home as well,

The Sound nin tried to come up with a way to insult his house but resentfully couldn't since it was a nice place or at least was much nicer then her old house with its broken windows and crumbling wood so while she couldn't insult him on how bad it was she decided to try and insult him on how good it was.

"…nice place, you and your family must have sucked a lot of balls to get it huh?" Lowing her head towards him.

"…That barley makes sense you know that right?." Letting a small grunt follow his speech.

"What ever lets just go inside, might as well get this shit over with and meet the two fuckers who forgot the condom and had your ass." Swinging her head away from him giving a quick blur of red hair swinging over her face.

"_What a troublesome bitch, I think I liked it better when she tried to kill me." _He rubbed the back of his head while he thought and considered continuing arguing but shot it down instantly.

He then shrugged and walked up his porch and opened the door and waited for her to follow but she still looked away so the ANBU gave her a quick push sending her focus back to the house and also to how much she wanted to kill them all. Walking up the steps she noticed their shogi table and a pair of chairs seated next to each other but quickly adjusted her view inside the house as she followed the "Rat" into his hole.

"…Im home." He announced to no one in particular then awaited an answer so he could chew them out about this situation.

"Welcome home Shikamaru, is our guest with you?" His mothers voice called out from the kitchen across the living room that they both stood in with ANBU waiting behind them in the doorway. To every ones discomfort but Shikamaru's they had to stand in the dark since he hadn't even bothered to turn on the lights.

"…Yeah she is, and why the hell did you and dad agree to have her live with us in the first place I mean you two know she and her friends all most killed us right?" He called across the house not setting a foot any farther then he had too.

"I knew you were gonna complain about it Shikamaru that's why we didn't tell you, besides the Hokage her self requested it and you know how our family has always been faithful to the Hokage and this village…" She paused before continuing in a much louder voice knowing her son was most likely airing her out. "So get over it!" She finished in a loud shout making the young procrastinator flinch under her voice which gave Tayuya a little smirk seeing her enemy scolded.

Foot steps now came from the kitchen making their way to the living room that was still encased in darkness then stopped as the figure entered the room only to see the lights were off.

"Damn it Shikamaru you could at least make the effort to turn the lights on for our guest you know!" She shouted after stumbling into their lamp post before taking hold of it and looking around for the switch.

"…Sorry mom I thought she would feel more at home in a dark dreary setting." He made a slight smirk after feeling Tayuya's breathe give a nice hot huff of hatred against the back of his neck.

The two Nara's both turned on their lights at the same time filling the room with a bright pleasant glow and gave Tayuya a better look around and at the bitch who would own her ass for awhile, she was very surprised at what she saw.

"_She's…beautiful…" _Was the only thought Tayuya could think of since she expected the mother of the rat to be some fat chubby bitch version of a female Shikamaru and not…pretty and kind looking as she stood before them.

Yoshino stood near the center of the room wearing her casual in house cloths, a long brown skirt that almost reached her feet, a light red shirt and an apron that was nearly the length of her body. Tayuya made mental notes of all her features, her long black hair and she just was able to see was tied off at the end, her dark sincere eyes and most notable feature her face which wore a kind smile. All these things made the young sound kunoichi think of one thing and that was her own mother so instead of giving her warden a hateful stare the only thing the former sound nin could do was give her a confused stare.

"Hello there Tayuya my name is Yoshino Nara, Shikamaru's mother, your going to be living with us for awhile correct? She gave a bow as she welcomed her which surprised both Shikamaru and Tayuya.

"_Great now I bet this annoying woman is gonna bitch at my mom and their gonna start arguing and crap…how troublesome this whole thing is." _Shikamaru thought to himself awaiting the raised voices to begin a shutting match.

"…H-hello…and yeah that bat is gonna have me live with yous." Her sentence devoid of any swears or insults like she had first intended as they walked to the house, her voice also carried a very subdued tone which shocked both Shikamaru and his mother since she was informed she was extremely foul mouthed and Shikamaru knew she was extremely foul mouthed.

Shikamaru was so shocked he even looked around to stare in her face only to see that the normally angry girl wasn't even making eye contact and seamed flushed and confused.

"_Talk about a 360, didn't think this woman could go a sentence with out demeaning someone." _He thought then turned back around deciding not to inquire why she looked as she did as to avoid a defensive argument on her part.

"Well feel free to make your self at home Tayuya, I will show you your room upstairs when you like and I also made you both a meal of miso soup with rice so feel free to eat it when ever you two like." She then gave a nod to the two guards behind them that it was okay for them to leave which they hesitantly did as they jumped into the shadows after closing the door behind them then spied on the house closely making sure it was safe for the time being.

"Wow mom your awfully nice to an enemy considering she almost killed me." He groaned a little more annoyed then usual seeing she was getting special treatment.

"_That's right, I tried to kill her fucking shit of a son so why the hell is she being so kind unless this is all a freaking setup!" _The young flutist thought as she nervously survey the room feeling adrenalin pumping in her veins awaiting some cruel trick.

"I said I made you soup too Shikamaru!" She shouted back dodging the point of her sons question.

"Geez fine, I will have some later okay." Waving back at her dismissively.

"You two can move cant yous? There's no point standing at the door all day." His mother called out from the other run after sensing they hadn't budged.

Tayuya finally then noticed that she had been standing next to the door the entire time she had entered and that Shikamaru stood next to her to make sure she didn't try and make a move against his mother, an act she quickly both admired and hated, admired for protecting his parent in the presence of a deadly ninja and hated thinking that shed stoop so low as too do that…even if she did consider it as a possibility of escape while on the way here.

"Where's dad?" The procrastinator had to ask feeling it wasn't right he wasn't here to protect the house as well.

"That old man went to get more sake even though we were expecting you two all day, he had been whining about it all day so I finally let him." His mother ended in a huff as if remembering all the side comments about how they didn't have any left.

"_Ohh great this rats dad sounds like a fucking alcoholic."_ Tayuya thought bitterly after hearing this news.

"Figures he wouldn't be here when we need him, what a drag." He impatiently positioned him self back and forth so his shadow connected to hers just incase, he didn't show it but leaving the lights off wasn't just cause he was lazy, he instinctually did that so he could wrap his shadow around her feet so she wouldn't notice incase she made a move when they arrived. But with the lights on and her downward gaze she noticed he was positioning him self to her and even tested it by take a few steps to the right only to see him do the same to match her.

"That bum should be here…" He let out another groan as he followed her steps as they both moved further into the living room.

"Are you okay Shikamaru?" His mother asked noticing him sweat a little as he eye balled the room while returning his gaze on their guest.

Tayuya then noticed him as well and how he was so unnerved by her being so close to one of his loved ones, as much as she hated him and wanted to mess with him anyway she could, messing with his mother to do it seamed far too low to her to do no matter how much it made him squirm.

"Is it okay if I take a look around?" Tayuya said looking away from both of them.

"Of course I will give you the grand tour of our house so you will feel more comfortable knowing where everything is." Giving her a smile at how polite she turned out to be.

"Its okay mom...I'll show her, how bout you get the food ready and I will take it up to her room okay?" He butted in and decided to take over the role of tour guide in his mothers stead.

Seeing his serious face his mother allowed him to assume the role with a nod and "Okay Shikamaru but try and be polite." Before she went back into the kitchen and prepared their meals to go.

Turning back to Tayuya with a groan he began his explanation of the house to her. "This is the living room…the stairs to up stairs are to your left…kitchen is over there…bathroom is down that hall way over there and the backyard is at the end…there's a bathroom up stairs also…and…hey mom where is her room?" He shouted across into the kitchen since he wasn't sure WHERE the heck she was staying.

Tayuya herself was extreamly pissed off since this tour hadn't even taken a step yet and didn't look like it ever was, to her this fucker really was THAT lazy.

"Ohh she's gonna be staying in the empty room next to yours Shikamaru." Her voice raising itself over the sound of boiling pots.

After initial shock of hearing that they'd be living side by side in rooms he realized there was no empty room next to his besides the families library slash study.

"_Great…now she's gonna keep be up with her loud whining all the time right on the other side of my wall."_ He thought giving a decisive huff .

"Take me there already you fucker!" The young red head demanded suddenly.

"…" Not saying a word the annoyed Nara made his way to the stairs and stopped there signaling her to go up first.

Not saying a word back to her warden she walked passed him then abruptly turned around and looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"You better not stare at me you fucking bastard or I will kick your face in got that!?" Narrowing her glare to a squint.

"…You sure you can?" Snapping a quick comment at her nearly under his breath.

"What was that shit head!?" Raising her voice suddenly.

"I heard you were heavily injured from Hokage is all." Giving her a slight grin.

With out saying a word the young sound nin took hold of both stair case railings and launched her feet towards a very shocked Shikamaru as she spun them and twirled down the stairs switching her hands on the railing in a rather elegant fashion as she continued a flurry of kicks and twists just out of his heads range.

As she dismounted and landed in front of him who now in a defensive stance expecting a fight to ensue she leaned in and spoke very softly to him. "Your Intel was wrong bitch, I may be stuck in your house but I am far from a defenseless stray." Then turning around and walking back up the stairs leaving him in awe.

"Yeah really nice information you old hag." He added to himself hen letting out another groan before following her up himself.

As they walked in the second floor halls Tayuya noted the bathroom on the left side and a few doors on each side, one of them his and one of them hers. Seeing that that ass passed the first room on the right with out looking meant it was most likely his room so a look was needed.

Stopping in front of his open door the former sound member made mental notes of all she saw.

"_Wow that's just freaking dull looking as hell and the place is a sty, I should call this prick pig boy instead of a rat heh." _She thought as she surveyed his child hood room.

His walls were a light blue with painted clouds over head, no posters and only a few pictures on draws and shelf's. Cloths and scrolls were sprawled across parts of the floor, an unfinished mission report lay next to his pillow. There was also another shogi table near his closet with pieces set possibly from an unfinished game. His room looked…normal to her so she hated it naturally from first sight.

"Come on already, are you always this slow?" Her enemies voice distracted her from her analysis as he impatiently stood in front of her door.

"Im just seeing where rats jerk off when their alone." She called back with a modest grin seeing him not get the insult at first then instantly look like he got a migraine once he realized it.

"Damn that's disgusting you know that." Placing one hand against his forehead .

"Yeah your telling me rat boy." Placing her hands along her hips leaning towards him letting a cocky smirk creep from one side of her face to the other.

Pausing awhile rethinking her comment he shook his head then pointed at the door which was to be her new lair for awhile.

With peaked interest the young former sound nin poked her head inside briefly then entered.

She had to admit her new room wasn't bad at all, a fact she actually resented since it fortified the notion that this rat faced prick had it easy while she been living in cramped quarters in a cave with assholes and bastards.

There was a closet to the left of the door with a large old fashioned bed in the center of the room, a book shelf filled to the brim with medical books, journals, deer raising guids and jutsu related material filling every spot available as well as stacked on each other. Past that in the corner of the room was a old fashion wooded study desk that looked as if it was used to write a few books in its time and to the left of that corner was another book self comparable to the one before it followed by what surprised her the most, an unbarred window with a view , the view being unseen from her current location though. To the left of the window was a large plant with small flowers budding oddly along its branches. She was a little surprised there was even a moderate TV past the plant but it was at a crappy angle to her so she figured it to be a rush job placing it into the room. And past the TV hanging on the wall next to it was a decent sized oval mirror that length was fairly large and could capture quite a bit of the room in its reflection.

"Wow I thought you'd stick me in a freaking dungeon." She said aloud with a little surprise ringing in her voice.

"It'd be to much of a drag to remodel it for you I guess." Shikamaru commented aloud also while putting his hands up in a I-am-not-sure-manner which combined with his lazy voice made his words seam more truth then an insult.

"T-the fuck?!" She shot back not knowing if he just threw a insult at her so commonly that even she couldn't catch it.

"…My parents room down stairs.." He replied dully with out an actual intent to reply at all.

"Ohh, well you ass never mentioned their room in the first place!" She shot back trying to get a shot in, any shot.

"Your right I didn't…" Responding to her with an even more less interested voice as if he were about to fall asleep right there and then.

"Shikamaru, come down and get both your dinners before they get cold!" His mother shouted considerately loud from below only to hear a grunt and shuffling of feet above her limping across the ceiling as if it'd kill him to make the trip.

Leaving the demon alone in her new room he paced down the steps while said demon took a better look around.

"So many freaking books, no wonder why its so dammed stuffy in here!" Taking her hostility out on the air temperature since it was the only thing around bothering her at the time.

Moving close to the window she opened it a little surprised it wasn't rigged so it couldn't be opened besides the crude locking mechanism on it, no sooner had she opened it and felt the cool breeze enter the room and blow past her hair she noticed a slight shuffling in the trees.

"Damned lifeless ANBU, to think I would try and run away on my first day here is fucking insulting!" She mused with her self cursing them before noticing that the fruity headed bastard was standing behind her a little questioningly.

"The hell you want rat?!" Letting out another burst of anger at a new annoyance to set her mind on.

"If your gonna jump then you wasted my time getting you this food…" He ended in a huff as the bowl burned his palm slightly.

"F-fuck you!, like id kill my self and do you a favor!" Giving him another intense hate filled glare.

"Yeah your right, knowing you; you would become immortal just for spite right?" He asked rhetorically.

"Just give me the god damned soup all ready numb nuts!, I don't have to listen to your shit all night and --im sure you don't wanna hear mine so put it on the fucking table and get-the-fuck out of my-room!" Ending with a slow speech to emphasize her message to further piss him off.

Giving the situation Shikamaru preformed very well, he didn't argue back with her, didn't drop or spill the bowl by "accident" and even didn't do anything she expected from him other then placing the bowl down on the study wooden table then leaving, but he did exhale loudly the moment he turned the corner as he left the room and made his way to his room a few feet away.

Grinning at his obedience and his obvious anger she then walked over to her meal and to her surprise it looked delicious.

"…Nothing like a home cooked meal…" She joked dryly while lacking any of the elements that made what she said a joke more so then an empty depressed statement.

After momentarily considering the food to be poison she decided to risk it, after all she decided she had nothing to lose since if she died that freak in the grey vest would gladly bring her back if she wanted too or not.

Taking one big deep mouthful and tasting it in her mouth she dropped her spoon with a decisive slang, her eyes shot wide and even a little tremble ran across her shoulders.

"Fuck…" She paused for a few moments. "Its good…" She dropped her gaze down to her knees and lamented bitterly that she had been given a good meal by "these" people above all else. Her face was twisted as if it were fighting back tears at how pathetic it all was. But what hurt her the most was her cooking was… "Better then moms…" She spoke those words at barley a whisper and noticed a single tear drop fall and splash in the golden broth of her soup leaving a little rainbow like residue in the center but she immediately used sheer will to hold back another one from falling.

After minutes of staring at her bowl and deep concentration in her thoughts she dejectedly picked up her spoon and scooped another portion, then another and another till it was empty and let the spoon fall against the ceramic bowl that echoed the clang into the hall.

With out a word to anyone she trudged her self to the bed and tore back the blankets and stared at it expecting stains of some sort but it was clean and…fluffy to her surprise. Not wanting to see what kind of father the rat had she went into the bed and turn towards the window before remembering those bastards were there. Pulling her self up she made her way to the window and peeped out of it with a glare and raised both middle fingers up to her chest just blow her chin and then to complete her odd stance she balanced on her good left leg and took hold of the blinds with her right toe and gripped it with her toes tightly to swing them shut. Feeling satisfied with her gymnastic achievement given her condition Tayuya finally made it back to her bed and rested on it letting her head drop with a thump against the cool fluffy pillow then spent the remainder of her consciousness staring bitterly, even leering up at the unfamiliar white ceiling above her as if imagining the faces of everyone she hated there mocking her as she tried to sleep peacefully but eventually she had finally found that comfortable salvation and drifted to sleep.

Meanwhile Shikamaru slouched against the wall facing his door way surveying if she left her room after he left and given that he hadn't heard her loud, annoying, insulting and rotten commands for nearly twenty minutes he was quite shocked.

"Heh maybe she hung herself with her bed sheets….shit." His worry had gotten the better of him as he thought of a likely reason. He forced himself to make a quick rush to her room next door. But what he found was not what he expected which made him feel a bit releived in all truth.

She looked pissed even in her sleep he mentally noted seeing her hands above the blankets clenching the fabric tightly under her slumbered grip, her eyes squinted as if leering at something in her head and her mouth open will just a little ripple of saliva coming off the edge of her mouth.

He soon noticed the bowl atop the wooden desk in the corner and tried his best stealthily to retrieve it before his mother yelled at him expecting it with his own. Soon after picking it up he noticed it was bone dry which made him create a smirk across his face seeing his mothers cooking live up to its reputation even with enemy stomachs as being delicious and irresistible.

As he left the room his father Shikaku caught him immediately in the hall much to his surprise.

"Hey there Shikamaru, how's everything going with our guest?" Asking as nonchalant as he could.

"And where the hell where you when we needed you?" Sending a disrespectful spat at his father direction as if the entire time he had been annoyed.

"You's needed me Shikamaru?" Replying a little confused.

"An enemy comes to our house and you go and buy sake…sorry dad but that a lame thing to do even for you." Giving his father a half eyed opened glare.

"I had faith in you to control the situation Shikamaru." He nodded approvingly to his son.

"Yeah sure you did, ohh and this is for you dad." He placed the porcelain bowl lightly against his fathers vest causing him to look down dumbfounded at his son.

"Its her dishes, go help mom clean them." After saying that he turned around and made his way into his room for some much needed rest leaving his guard duty to his father as well as the dishes.

Taking a few steps forward he peered into Tayuyas room and saw her sleeping the same way his son did minutes ago and looked at her resting with a neutral expression on his face.

"_So you're the one who almost beat my boy huh?, wonder how good you are at Shougi."_ Shikaku Nara thought silently in his mind looking her over before noticing the small trail of drool sliding down to her pillow giving him a slight chuckle.

Before turning away and making his way down to the kitchen to ask about everything that had happened to his wife as well as assist in the dishes for the day, a chore he and his sun always normally ducked out of at the last minute.

"Hey there hunny, how did everything go while I was away?" Shikaku said while wrapping his arms around his loves Yoshino waist and letting his head drop on her right shoulder as she cleaned the pots.

"Drunk again I see hun, I swear its not a good influence to Shikamaru…or our new quest for that matter which by the way went a lot better then I suspected for your information." Giving him a loving yet stern tone as he cuddled her in his nearly intoxicated bliss.

Shikaku's gaze went back up to her face from his previous downward gaze from what lie under her apron so that she wouldn't bust him up about unwanted actions.

"So she wasn't a complete bitch like we heard?" He asked very gruffly.

"Not to me any way hunny, but I think she worries our little Shika a lot, I noticed how unsettled he was with her here." Scrubbing another plate intently as she was slowly fondled.

Placing his mouth up to his wife's ears so his words would have a "blow" effect he softly spoke incase anyone was listening. "Well you know dearest how things were when they fought, he did tell us enough times how troublesome an opponent she was and while he didn't say it out right he feared for his life…I can see why the Hokage her self would want to try and convert her to the leaf like this." Wrapping his arms tightly pulling her close against him.

"O-ohh, hunny keep your mind out of the gutter for a moment!" Shouting a little too loud at him snapping her sons attention who tried to rest in his room above the kitchen.

"Sorry hun…" He dejectedly trailed off.

"Any way do you think it was a good Idea to have her here of all places…I know this means a lot to the Hokage but it is stressing our family." Her husband gave her a stupefied gaze.

"Didn't we go over this with Tsunade a few days ago?, besides that Naruto kid there's no one else she will open up with so this is the best option since he isn't here right now." Still keeping some sence in his drunken stupor.

"Yes your right hunny and besides I think a family setting might do her some good." Letting her cheeks brush up against his rough face.

"Ohh and whys that dear? He asked while brushing his face gently against hers.

"A lot of Sounds occupants are dejected people with no where else to go, that's why that Orochimaru takes them in, I cant help but wonder how long she has been living that life." Her tone becoming a little sad remembering the confused look she got from Tayuya's face when she looked at her.

"Now now dear you know it isn't wise to sympathies with the enemy, that will only complicate things further and put you in risk." His hands now making an unwelcome but uninterrupted advance up her shirt taking hold of his wife's firm breasts much to her surprise.

"N-not now hunny!, Shikamaru might come down or heaven forbid that Tayuya girl, what would they think if they saw us acting like this!" She squirmed under his intoxicated embrace.

"Huh…? Ohh I'm sorry dear." He let up on his grouping to a soft fondle.

"What am I gonna do with you I swear…sometimes I feel like I have two children in this house sometimes." Huffing with a flustered face while her cheeks became red.

"But now we do have two kids in the house…" He responded as a matter-of-fact kind of way after giving it some thought.

"That's exactly what I mean and besides hunny…" Taking a moment to pause and place her hands over his to move them off her breast for a moment. "If the whole point of having her here is to help her join the leaf then shouldn't we try and sympathies with her and get to know her a little more then just being an enemy from our enemy village?" Letting her kind concern fill her words so her husband would understand better.

"I guess your right dearest but I suck with dealing with kids…hell half the time I don't think I'm doing a good job with our own son so I am gonna leave all that male bonding to you with her." Not realizing he just called his wife and Tayuya spending time together "Male bonding" in his own intoxicated speech.

Normally his wife would have belittled him for such a statement but he was putting her in a "good" mood and he did mean well by it so she decided she would let it slid this once today since he was already going back to grouping her cupcakes in a very pleasing manner.

"Y-your r-right hun, I should s-spend time with her since she d-does...Hey not so rough!" She shouted at him for suddenly squeezing a little too tightly for her enjoyment which made Shikamaru groan and turn over in his bed at hearing his parents act so immature especially while they had a felon in the house.

"Sorry hun…" Giving her an apologetic kiss on her neck.

"Like I was saying…" Letting her flustered face regroup for a moment so she could finish her sentence. "She reminds me of myself way back when we first decided to date."

"Heh yeah I guess your right about that Yoshino dear." Planting a few more kisses against her neck remembering the good old days.

"Ohh and how's that hun?" A little intrigued herself as to what he thought.

"Well I took at peek at her in her room before I came down and she sleeps the same way you used to back then, she even has that same little drool trai-!" He was silenced by a sharp elbow to his gut by his loving wife who's face was ten times redder then before.

"…Doghouse?" He inquired nervously.

"Doghouse!" She shouted back, her face still incredibly red as he just ruined their intimate moment together completely with that comment.

Rejected he let go of his wife and made his way into the living room and got himself comfortable on the couch since now it was where he would be sleeping tonight.

On the other side of town the great sannin Hokage Tsunade made her way out of Naruto's apartment after getting Kuroshi familiar with it and also asking him more questions about the state of his village, his connection to Tayuya, the whereabouts of his brother and why he had impersonated a Leaf ninja during the raid of Orochimaru's base.

The answers he had given were going to make her have a long long conversation with her assistant Shizune and as well bring up matters before the counsel on many of the matters, but for tonight those things were going to have to wait.

"You better have that dammed Sake Shizune or a swear your gonna have to deal with this shit!" She shouted out into the empty street causing Shizune who had already fallen asleep in her own bed to wake up suddenly feeling an aura of dread in the air.

Meanwhile inside the house Kuroshi was getting used to the new setting as well as all the junk and scrolls Naruto had all over his house.

"This doesn't surprise me in the least for someone like him heheh…Kamui you can show your self now those ANBU can't see you from where you are." He turn looking at a cabinet as its shape slowly blurred and distorted and a hunched figure materialized in front of it.

"I gotta love your Environmental Jutsu, even the Hokage her self didn't notice you were here the whole time, heh nicely done!" He gestured a bow in his custom fashion to his brother who cracked his neck and joints from being still so long.

"…**Was it wise…to…tell that one…so much…brother?" **His broken speech being slightly muffed out from him speaking in nearly a whisper.

"It doesn't really matter Kamui, she only has our word and the only other person who might know the truth is the last person she would ever think to ask, so as long as we stick to what I told her she will never suspect any farther." Motioning hands in a comforting way while his hooded brother slouched across Naruto's living room area looking over all the trash and Jutsu notes.

Kamui only let out a slight grunt and continued looking around and grabbed a fruit off a table.

"Lets see what dear Naruto-kun left us to eat as well as learn a few of these Jutsu." The grey haired teen continued taking one of the custom written scrolls and read it off as "Sexy Jutsu" before considering what it could possibly do.

* * *

_Yup a ShikakuxYoshino pairing, a last minute idea that came to me in the wee hours of the morn and im happy how it came out since i had intended to not even introduce Shikaku in this chapter to begin with but i am glad i did if. You all can bet on seeing more of it as the story progresses aswell as other pairings._


	8. A heartful decision

* * *

_**Sorry bout the wait but the latest chapter is up and its a good one so i hope you all enjoy **_

**_Edit:Incase it becomes a problem and people cant review this page who reviewed it before (i deleated the old chap 8 file and replaced it with this one) please review another chapter to place your review, then again i dont know if it will be a problem or not. _**

**_Edit(again): Poll results were ShikaXTayu 12 and NaruXTayu 10 so the story is a ShikaXTayu pairing, sorry for not changing the story description of perminant pairing earlyer when i posted it. As for when you can see them become closer together id say next chapter "To breech the icy walls of hate with love is a task in it self that spans time itself":I just made that up XD but yes it will happen. To all the Naru fans i am deciding how to work in a pairing for him but i will not promise anything unless i really feel it as a good pairing. _**

* * *

Light shined threw the blinds in Tayuya's bedroom as the sun hung high in the sky forcing its rays into the sleeping girls eyes forcing her to come to consciousness and notice the odd object hovering over her head on the wall above her. 

"….The fuck…is that?!" A groggy tired Tayuya shouted out soon after waking up to see the decapitated head of a deer hanging above her head.

The former Sound nin thought as she slowly got out of bed and contemplated the removal of all deer related items in her room. 

"…Well now what the hell am I suppose to do in this hell hole." Looking around her room for a note or instructions left behind. "What the hell time is it anyways?!" Throwing her hands up to the ceiling as if to curse some unseen force responsible for her current situation.

Grumble

"…Time second food first." Making her way into the hallway only to stop as she passed her second most hated enemies room.

"That freaking rats still asleep all comfortable in his bed…it'd be so easy to just strangle him to death right now." Taking a few silent steps closer to his bed that he was sprawled upon still in his white t-shirt and gray boxers. _"Just a little closer and your ass is mine you damn bastard!" _Filling the room with killer intent before stopping to consider what killing him now meant.

The fiery redhead stood in the center of his room taking count of everyone who would pay before she turned around flashing her red hair at the sleeping Chunnin and exited while making her way to the stairs. Once she had left the room the assumed to be sleeping Shikamaru opened one eye at the doorway and retracted his shadow back from underneath his bed to himself.

"So troublesome…" Grunting again before closing his eye and preparing to force his way out of bed to follow her.

Down in the living room Tayuya took it upon her self to take a better look at her new surroundings.

"Nothing but damn books and fucking deer heads and horns all over this damn house, must be their fetish or something heh." The Kunoichi joked to her self before hearing a noise in the other room putting her on alert.

"Is that you Shikamaru?" A female voice called out from the kitchen.

"Phhh its just that rats mom..." Tayuya spook in a low voice to her self before responding to the kind voice. "..Its me." Her voice sounding empty and emotionless as possible.

"Ohh Tayuya your just in time I prepared both your breakfasts while you both over slept." Her soft voice growing closer as she made her way out of the kitchen to greet her house guest once again.

"…You didn't have too." Was the only remark she could make with just a little insult in her tone.

"Well while your completely capable of getting your own food I thought it'd be nice if I made you food as well since its no trouble at all." Yoshino gave a slight head bow while she held her apron with both hands.

"...Sure whatever…what time is it anyway cause my room doesn't have a damn clock in it." The redhead asked while turning her head to look away at his mothers bow.

"I am so sorry about that, that husband of mine was suppose to put everything in but he is just like Shikamaru…" Her apology started to turn into a rant about their laziness.

"Dads like me how?" Said son asked from the middle of the stairs.

"!" The kunoichi shot her head around at the familiar voice surprised she didn't notice him earlier.

"Your both lazy good for nothings!" His mother shouted at him snapping Tayuya out of her thoughts and bring her attention back at the prick standing over her giving her a dull gaze.

"...Morning Sound girl." Then continuing down the stairs ignoring the "lazy" comment completely.

"Its Tayuya you damned pineapple headed prick!" Almost lunging her fists at him for calling her "girl".

"…I don't look like a pineapple…" Staring at her more annoyed then usual.

"You're lazy and you look like a god damn pineapple!" Pointing her finger at his head while shouting.

"…..I look like a pineapple already urghh." Shikamaru crossed his arms while his brows twitched furiously.

His mother Yoshino merely stood there with a flushed face and couldn't help but hold back a giggle or two seeing her son so strung out yet at the same time it was the first time anyone had every referred to him as a pineapple prick which despite Tayuya's rude potty mouth seemed almost adorable and a breath of fresh air other then the usual grunts and huffed both her son and husband gave her all day every day.

"Now now you two nothing good will come from yous at each others throats, I already made you both breakfast so eat up." His mother gave them a smile and walked back into the kitchen.

Glaring at each it was Shikamaru who made the first move and walked past her to get his morning meal leaving the red head to star at his back. Feeling that staring at where he used to be was pointless the young Kunoichi angrily made her way into the kitchen as well.

"Please have a seat Tayuya where ever you like." Yoshino hastily said while she re-cooked their eggs.

After a groan and a bitter argument in her head to protest sitting near the rat the young former Sound nin sat parallel to Yoshino with Shikamaru promptly sitting in the middle in between them. They all ate slowly in silence for a good ten minutes till Shikamaru's caring mother broke the silence by asking Tayuya a few questions.

"So Tayuya care to tell us a few things about yourself?" She gave the young red head an open smile, while her son slowly shifted his head awaiting some kind of insults to spurt out her mouth as well as food. But to his dismay the young girl merely stared across the table with a confused gaze.

"…I am a Sound Kunoichi, I invaded your boarders twice so far and I kicked your sons ass…" Taking another bite out of her scrambled eggs as if nothing was the matter about that sentence thus earning her the disbelieved stars of the Nara family.

"You gotta be kidding me." Mumbled Shikamaru in a low tone but not low enough for Tayuya's sharp ears.

"What you saying I didn't kick your sorry ass?!" Spitting chunks of chewed egg at his direction.

"Not my point, geez are you all ways this trouble some?" Raising his right brown at her while giving the Kunoichi a scowl.

"Then what the hell are you trying to say prick?!" Slamming both hands against the table knocking silver ware and her mug crashing to the floor.

"What I am trying to say is you spout out treason against our village every time you open your mouth, do you really want to join this village?" Giving her an uninterested stare.

"I don't give a shit about your village!" Taking a lean back into her seat.

""...Hey mom what's this person doing here then?" The procrastinator gave a dull stare to his right where his mother was sitting.

"I don't know any more Shikamaru.." His mothers face was in a saddened frown seeing that reforming this girl was not a possibility despite her efforts.

Tayuya slumped into her chair looking down at her lap knowing that she could be sent to a jail cell with just a word from them, her own room after all was better ten her own cell even if in this case her room was a better cell then normal ones.

"Im here…" Tayuya started with an emotionless voice. "So that I can be bended to the will of your…Hokage…" Stopping once more as she bitterly said Hokage. "And be used to help defeat Sound and that snake fuck." Raising her head showing her brown eyes from under her hair.

"You want to help us defeat Sound?" The Nara son said with actual surprise before looking to see the same on his mothers face.

"…Yeah I do." Answering them half heartedly.

"Why do you wish to aid Konoha and not your own village of Sound? Yoshino asked cautiously.

"Do you guys kill your own people for sport? Her question lacking any elements of a joke.

The room remained quiet for a few moments while the two Nara's contemplated what she had said, they both knew little about Sound but knew that Orochimaru was sick enough to throw his peoples life's away for a cheap laugh.

"He tried to kill you?" Yoshino asked leaning forward with genuine concern.

Tayuya only gave a serious stare back and said no words about the subject.

"That's horrible." Leaning back into her seat before taking a look at her son who only gave a slight bored nod.

"…Hey…your one of their best right?" The young Nara asked trying to show the least amount of interest he could.

"Get to the point prick!" Tayuya shouted back already disgusted by her enemies showing her even the smallest amount out pity.

"Fine...why would they try and kill one of their best ninja I mean it just doesn't add up even if you did fail one mission." Laying his head along his arms on the table.

"I succeeded in that mission where as you Leaf scum…failed." The flutist grinned as Shikamaru flinched at those words before continuing. "They decided to kill me to test that Uchiha clowns abilities with his curse seal against mine so there's your fucking answer!" After leaving them stunned she flashed her red hair and left the table and made her way up stairs to shower for the first time in four days.

After she was gone from the room Shikamaru turned his head to his mother who had a saddened look on her face.

"Don't feel so bad mom, she called us Leaf scum remember." Giving his mother a slight smile at his joke.

"Shikamaru, do you know it's the strongest faces that are the weakest underneath?" Asking him in a serious tone.

"Hmm, you had a point or something?" Raising a brow in confusion at his mothers odd question.

"Forget it Shikamaru its just something you will learn over time as you grow up." Responding seriously as she removed her self from the table and collected Tayuya's dishes as well as her own.

"Okay…so anyway why are we even going through all this trouble? Handing his mother his own plate in a lazy fashion.

"When your no good father gets home from his assignment we can explain it to you better in private after she is asleep Shikamaru."

"So that Sound girl isn't privileged to hear it?" Letting a small smirk appear on his face.

"It wouldn't do her any good to hear it since it would severely jeopardize the mission." Yoshino now added dish wash into the sink and began soaking their plates diligently.

"So it really is a mission huh, and here I thought this was some kind of punishment for failing the mission set up by that old hag." Letting out a groan as he slumped his head into his arms on the table.

Meanwhile up stairs in the Nara's bathroom.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me…this is all I have to wear?!" Tayuya held a bunch of cloths in her hands. "Slacks and a freaking whit T-shirt…I don't even know what the fuck this is?!" Discarding a pair of dungarees. "What is this farm cloths…jeans…more jeans and a skirt and…fucking sweat pants?!" Holding up a gray pair of sweat pants to the light as if to verify its existence. "His mother has some crappy fashion sense."

Leaving her uniform atop the toilet seat lid the young kunoichi entered the shower stall after testing the water with her left arm. Soon after enter and turning around a few times to fully wash her self she sat down and let the water run over her as the windows and glassed steamed. It was in times like these the young Kunoichi would drift into deep thought but today those thoughts would be much more violent then usual.

Periodically applying some of the better smelling hair lotion to up and down her read locks and scalp as she thought.

"Today I am going the hell outside!"

Opening the shower door the former Sound nin distressed as she remembered the crappy selection of cloths she was given in her draws.

Thinking to her self as she grabbed the white t-shirt and the slacks from the floor while looking for the underwear. 

After a few moments of regret and bitterness as well as a few mental curses she pulled the panties up her legs slowly seeing if they fit then distressing seeing that they were too large for her before attempting to pull the slacks up her legs then throwing the shirt over her back and pulling it down her chest before repositioning her hair out side of her shirt. Once Tayuya was finally clothed she made her way into the hall and looked for her host expecting him to be standing guard outside the bathroom.

"Where the hell are you rat?!" Letting her loud voice shout into the hall then silenced her self while listening for the loud groan that soon emanated from his room.

"Hey I want to go outside prick!" Stomping her way into his room while he slumped into his bed and looked out the window.

"Weren't you just in the bathroom?, do you really need to be let out again? " Cracking a smirk after looking over her new wardrobe.

"You calling me a dog?!" Slamming her fist against his door.

"Well you look like one that just got caught in a down pour or something." Letting his speech come off as more of a bored fact then an insult.

"I will dry off the fuck I like rat so lets go!" Snapping her head back at the door causing her wet bangs to flip against her face and cheeks.

"Why should I take you out side its to much of a bother for someone ungrateful as you…" The Nara's voice trailing off as he stared at the new set of clouds that passed by.

"Look prick I CAN leave this fucking house so you better get off your ass and come with me so those ANBU don't get the wrong idea or else!" Leaving her threat open in the air.

"Hmmm?…Or else what?, you gonna yell like a spoiled brat?" Keeping his gaze fixated on the window and not on her now physically flinching body from being ignored.

"Or else." Holding her immense anger down so to turn it into a vile threat. "I will have your mother accompany me outside just the two of us and me might take a nice little stroll into the woods and you know how hazardous they can be alone, I wouldn't want to be held responsible if she happened to hurt her self." The fiery redhead gave him a devilish grin.

Shikamaru mentally cursed her for her threat knowing full well she could in act it if she wanted too. 

"Fine lets go, ohh Tayuya one more thing." Snapping her attention at using her name for once. "If you ever joke around like that again and I so much as think your being serious then I will kill you." Giving her a cold glare.

"Heh is that right well…" Tayuya stopped her insults the moment she was the look in Shikamaru's face, even while they fought to the death he had never given her such a death glare as if he meant it with every fiber of his being.

"…Fine rat I wont" She shook off the chill and made her way out of his room and down the stairs.

"This is too damn troublesome …" Dropping his killer intent aura and returning into his laxed mood.

Three minutes later they both left the back door and entered the Nara clans back yard. The sun was high in the sky already and its golden rays poured through the tree line and rained down on a small meadow filled with deer, flowers and crass that extended to the woods which contained even more wild life. Yellow butterflies could be seen by the dozens fluttering over flowers and resting on high blades of grass and the deer could be seen licking the remaining morning dew of low leafs. It was a small haven in Konoha exclusive to the Nara clan for natural resources for medicinal research and development.

"Damn…yous got a magical fucking wonderland for a back yard!"

"Magical wonderland?…The yards okay I guess." Shrugging off the idea his yard was any more special then any other.

"Don't give me that lazy bullshit!, you got freaking Bambie over there taking a dump near the woods!" Extending her right hand and pointing to a young deer as it struggled to walk on its newly developed legs.

"Listening to your loud voice is such a drag you know that?" Asking in a irritated tone.

"Yeah whatever pineapple head." Ignoring his remarks and taking in more of the sights.

A few minutes of silence of both of them standing completely still in the back yard it was Tayuya who broke the silence.

"Hey Nara…do yous have my flute?" Asking in a normal tone trying not to insult him .

"Hm? No we don't,." Giving himself a moment to think about it before answering.

"…Do you have any flutes?"

"You gonna use it as a weapon?"

"…No."

"…Let me go get it." Shikamaru was already regretting letting her know his house had one as he sulked back into the house to retrieve it.

Inside the house he dragged himself into his parents closet and took a small tan box he had remember his mother have when he was a small child out from the top shelf, taking a few minutes he inscribed a small seal inside its barrel with a tiny ink pen to prevent any unwanted chakra usage that she might use to escape or attack with.

As Shikamaru walked back outside he noticed that the former Sound Kunoichi hadn't moved and inch from her spot and that her shoulders were shivering slightly.

"She she afraid I left her for dead for the ANBU? No that cant be it that troublesome woman wouldn't fear Kami himself if he came down heh."

"Hey…here's the flute so don't whine if you don't like it cause it's the only one in the house." He let out another groan as he extended it to her snapping her out of whatever deep thoughts she was having.

"A-about time you slow moving piece of Konoha shit!" She snatched the box out of his hands sending a swirl of her red hair to barley whip his face as she did so.

"Your welcome." He commented emptily not expecting a thank you.

"So, who's is it?" Tayuya asked forcing the interest out of her tone.

"Its my moms" Answering equally as uninterested.

"She plays?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Okay then…just leave me the hell alone for awhile rat." Turning her self around a little embarrassed she showed any interest in his family at all.

"Same here Sound girl." Turning around to walk to a tree adjacent to the back door which was his usual cloud watching spot.

Biting her lower lip at the 'girl' comment Tayuya glanced at a log that lay perfectly to practice on near the woods. Being able to play meant she could take her mind of her current predicament and lose her self in her music. After brushing off the log she sat down and got into a comfortable sitting stance and inspected the bronze flute with a child like glee (which didn't go unnoticed by Shikamaru who closely kept one eye on her the entire time)

The young Kunoichi brought it to her lips and wet it a little before attempting to blow a few notes and move her fingers accordingly to the melody that came out of it. After a few quick warm ups she found her self transfixed on the movement of the wind against her body and played a melody which reflected that feelings blowing against her.

Shikamaru blinked wide eyed at her while listening to the enchanting melody ride and flow with the wind in harmony with nature itself, to think 'anything' other then slave commands for her bland minions could be produced from her was an impossible idea up until this very moment. While he hated to admit it the melody went along nicely with his cloud gazing and he found himself more relaxed then he had been.

Their quick outdoor outing continued for over two hours with each of them in their own little worlds. Shikamaru watching the clouds dance to the harmony and Tayuya who had her eyes closed and played her soul into the small bronze instrument. They might have stayed like that well into the after noon if it wasn't for Yoshino coming out to snap them out of their trances.

"Good heavens you play wonderfully Tayuya!" Her hand words snapping Tayuya's attention to the kind familiar woman standing beside her.

"E-erm thanks." The kunoichi blushed slightly from the honest sounding compliment.

"Honestly I haven't seen or used that old thing in years so I am surprised it can play so well." Giving the young kunoichi a slight bow .

"That one got it for me so I didn't steal it or anything" Turning her head to her adversary who now carefully watched his mother talk to the dangerous felon.

"Ohh don't worry about you can keep it Tayuya, I don't have time to try my hand at it any more while I am taking care of that one and his good for nothing father all the time." Giving off a warm smile that unnerved Tayuya highly.

Tayuya's good mood was being quickly being replaced by a nagging depression after being reminded of family life, after all there was so much her own mother couldn't do while keeping as many beatings off her daughter as she physically could.

"Ohh Shikamaru honey its time you go to the hospital to see how Chouji is doing isn't it?" Calling out to her son from across the yard .

"Shit its that time already, must have lost more track of time then I thought." Commenting silently to himself to escape his mother scorn at him swearing. "Thanks for reminding me mom but you cant stay alone with 'her' can you?" Leaving evident concern in his tone perking the young kunoichi to attention of the conversation.

"Where you going that I cant come huh prick?" Placing one hand on her waist while still holding the flute with the other.

"Its not that you cant come it'd just be too troublesome for everyone else if they saw you…" Shikamaru responded trying not to get into an argument before departing to the hospital.

"He is going to the hospital to see his friends and comrades from that mission you both were in Tayuya." His mother commenting in a sincere voice to enlighten her on the situation.

"Ohh…I get it, well whatever do what ever you want rat." Turning around refocusing on her new flute to hide herself from their view.

Cursing in her mind bitterly. 

While he still had his doubts about leaving a homicidal felon home alone with his mother he forced himself to walk over to where the red head had perched her self and move his head close to hers and stared at her for a bit while he still fuddled the words in his head as to what to say, it wasn't in his nature after all to threaten someone. Seeing his face ever thinking the flutist got the message.

"Don't worry rat, I'm not that low yet so get the hell out of here already and see your damn team members while you can." While trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible a few emotional fill tones escaped and perked Nara's ears and eyes.

He thought letting out a quick sign at the complexity of women. 

"Alright…later Tayuya." Reluctantly using her name and turning away to leave the house.

"Yeah later Nara." The redhead grunted back returning to a waving off and quickly returned to practicing her flute.

"Least she isn't insulting my ear drums anymore."

With that last mental note Shikamaru was off and slowly walked out of sight to the front of the house making his way to see his bed ridden comrades.

"Excuse me Tayuya but I was wondering if you would play a little bit for me if that's okay?" Yoshino asked with sincere interest.

"…Yeah I was going to anyway but…" Tayuya paused while she thought about how to ask her question. "Whys he going to the hospital?" Trying to ask nonchalantly .

"Well during that mission his team was severely injured and his best friend Chouji is in critical condition." She responded solemnly to the young Kunoichi.

Now interested in the welfare of her teams opponents the red head had to press the question.

"So what's his friend look like?" Wondering who was on the verge of death in their group.

"Well he is short and…chubby." Remembering how much Chouji detested being called fat.

"Heh ohh that one, no surprise there." Letting a snicker appear on her face at the thought of him slowly dying in a hospital bed after fighting Jirobo and somehow winning.

Yoshino looked at the girl with a little distained resentment now for the first time, delighting in the suffering of a close family friend wasn't something she could simply over look. Sensing the only person who had actually treated her as a person was viewing her negatively Tayuya tried to cover her mistake in judgment.

"D-don't worry I didn't touch the kid during that damn mission " Sitting back onto her log defensively.

"W-well I am glad to hear that Tayuya, I don't know much about the retrieval mission myself actually, Shikamaru was never one to talk about mission as nothing more then trouble but he really let that mission failure get to him and it may sound weird but I never seen him more emotional in his life." Yoshino stood staring at the clouds as she unwilling poured her deepest thoughts out to one of the causes of her sons distress.

"Did any one die?" Tayuya asked carefully not trying to sound overly interested.

"No thank Kami but it had been to close, Chouji was at deaths door when he was found and so was that Hyuga boy Neji, of everyone they had it the worst . Shikamaru was so afraid to lose them…" her voice trailed off as if remembering the tears she saw him shed as he tore at himself for failing and nearly losing all his friends.

"He should be happy." The redhead added while looking away so she wouldn't see the sharp emotion filled glare her keeper snapped at her.

"Happy that his team are all alive." Instantly Yoshino lost her anger and remembered that her son and his team fought this young girl and her team and had won, had killed Orochimaru's elite, had killed her teammates. All the friends that she had been talking to caringly about were this young girls bitter enemies so there was no way she should feel bad they got hurt while they were the ones who killed her team.

"Tayuya…I'm so sorry for going on like that I didn't mean to." Tayuya cut her off by turning her head to Yoshino's gaze and watched her brown eyes stare dull and empty at her.

"Don't feel sorry for me or I swear…" She broke off her sentence noting having a threat in mind. "Your team won against ours, we were the enemy and they were our enemies…nothing more nothing less so you should be glad my team died, that we were slaughtered and left unburied and unmourned in the woods because we would have done the same to them so please spare me the sentimental bullshit because I have been trained to the ways of war much more then your fresh out of the academy 'kids', I have had it drilled into my fucking head every single day that the price for failing a mission, the price of failing my leader was death so I fucking welcome it damn it so don't you dare treat me like that!" Yoshino stared long and hard at the girl sitting before her.

To Yoshino Tayuya was a fourteen year old girl no different from any other yet had the hardened cold mindset of a war hardened ninja the likes of which were emotionless killing tools breed for death. Yoshino Nara knew what that ninja life was like because she experienced it first hand with her love Shikaku back when people were for lack of a better word 'properly' trained into ninjas by killing and being desensitized to all the horrors of war at a extremely young age. She had watched her young loves face cold and emotionless as he brutally killed his adversaries with out showing regret or reaction. She had watched her love covered in blood fight and kill as if he was a soulless being. And she had watched as he became detached in times of peace and was unable to coup in a world that didn't involve looking over your back every moment of the day, that didn't involve gutting and snapping people with out hesitation. That was the destiny of a real ninja, to never know peace outside of the battle field and become a husk of a human being.

And it was this life she saw in this young girl who like her son had their entire life ahead of them yet at the same time had it taken away from them. This life she spent so hard to break her lover out of, to turn him into the man she fell in love with back when they were still both Genin in the academy. To her son she had his father wiped but between her and her lover she knew that Shikaku was grateful for her from saving him from that life as best she could. She did make him a better man like he always talked to his son about because she loved him as a woman can only love her man.

Yoshino decided right there at that realization that a girl so young as she (AN: Tayuya) was and has been in that hellish path that she her self worked at through dating, marriage, child raising and through seer love to her husband to drive off, yes Yoshino decided that she would do everything she could to save this girl she had only just met but yet felt in her the pain she had felt from her life time love and she would be damned if she turned her back on her.

"T-Tayuya." She started suddenly trying to control the tone of her voice.

"W-what is it?!" She feared she had just kicked herself out of this house and into a jail cell or noose.

"I…" The well experienced Nara slowly began. " I want to help you." She stopped to see a shocked look in the young red heads eyes. "I want to help you any way I can for you to stay here in this village and live and become a stronger person…" She stopped once more as she stared into the young girls bewildered eyes. "I want to help you live!"

To say that Tayuya the former elite bodyguard of Orochimaru the great and powerful legendary Sannin as well as her being one of Sounds top elite warriors was surprised, shocked, bewildered, angry, suspicious, enraged, saddened, felt a small ping of regret and hope was completely beside her self would have been an understatment. She just sat there was the wind blowed through her hair as she tried, desperately tried to make sense, to make reason and to come up with some kind of insult or defensive measure to counter what ever the hell was going on in both her head and in the present. Her words failed her because she honestly did not know what to say to something like that.

"……W-w-hat?" She stuttered losing grip on her flute while looking helplessly up into the adults face.

"Please Tayuya I know what I am saying isn't making a word of sense to you and your confused." The read headed girl's pupils shook violently as if she were inwardly fighting the desire to kill and the desire to listen and wait.

"S-hut the fuck up you stupid bitch!" The flutists eyes grew watery as she reached the pinnacle of emotional stress. This wasn't the first time someone had promised her something to unbelievable she couldn't believe it but the last time someone did she ended up losing her free will and soul, to be a prisoner, slave and tool all for the sake of sweet words. Hearing this complete stranger make such a vow brought back every single regret and moment of pain she had ever surpressed.

"You don't even fucking know me! Yet you have the balls to say that shit to me and expect me to believe you?! You don't give a fuck about me you just want to convert me into a fucking Konoha puppet till I'm fucking useless and to be thrown away!" Tears broke out of both their eyes for different reasons, for Tayuya it was because her entire life was reliving it self in a matter of moments so fast she didn't know what to do and for Yoshino, she cried because she could see more then ever how much in pain this young girl truly was.

"I don't need some bitch I don't even fucking know talk to me like my fucking mother!, do you think its fucking funny talking like her?! DO YOU?!" She screamed remembering her mothers last moments before she died telling Tayuya "Run , so you can live and be stronger" just before the gash in her skull drained too much blood and she passed out and died in uncontiousness.

Yoshino flinched under the girls intense words while the two ANBU quickly were deciding on how to defuse the situation.

"Don't feed me that shit, just don't feed me that fake ass shit!" Tayuya clutched her head feeling the effects of her curse seal kicking into to her body , soon she would lose her self and become a raging demon, she could feel the desire to kill growing stronger as if shouting at her.

Two arms wraps around the young kunoichi and pulled her close and embraced her in a comforting hug to both calm and sooth her from deteriorating any farther mentally and physically.

"G-get off me!…L-let go of m-me you stupid bitch!" Tayuya violently thrashed to get lose hurting her holder in the process, it was now the ANBU black Ops had to make their move.

In a flurry of leaves and speed two foxed masked ANBU crashed to the ground next to them and with a twist of both their wrist readied Kunai in hand to pry the thrashing girl off the Nara by any means necessary to them. The moment their blades were ready they sprinted towards them and would have stabbed the Kunoichi dead where she sat if it hadn't been for the sudden yell from the Nara woman herself.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" She screamed with all her might as her captive pushed, batted and thrashed her body like a wild animal trapped in a cage. They halted for a moment and looked at each other before making another attempt to stab the girl before she screamed at them again. "I SAID DON'T!" Her captive cried and screamed uncontrollably in her arms, she was vaguely aware of what was going on around her but the simple fact remained she wasn't going to let her be killed even though holding her as this woman was in fact killing her. Slowly Tayuya's movment slowed and she no longer beat and thrashed to break free much to the relief of Yoshino who was unaware of how much punishment she had just endured, she knew if this girl sobbing in her arms was in a full state of mind then she easily could have broke free, but from her violent reaction it was clear she wasn't.

The two fox masked ANBU stared back and forth at each other and Yoshino who cradled the still sobbing Tayuya. They didn't know what to do but it was clear medical attention was needed and this incident needed to be reported to the Hokage right away.

"You two…" Yoshino talked breathlessly. "Do not inform the Hokage about this, I will inform her my self however try and get her assisent Shizune to offer medical aid but do not inform her or the Hokage, that is an order!" Her voice was loud and demanding reminding them of her position within Konoha, hesitantly they agreed for the moment and decided the taller of the two officers would retreive Shizune. In a flsh he was gone leaving his partner to monitar the situation further.

"Why?" Tayuya's red hair lay in a mess against Yoshinos blouse as her head was dug close against her hosts breast while she was gently held in a caring embrase.

"I meant what I said Tayuya, I want to help you live and I truly mean that." She layed her head over Tayuya's as she her a whimper followed by more sobbing at those words. In response the Nara women gently rocked the girl in her arms untill she could feel the girl was softly asleep, a great feat indeed.

The ANBU that was left with the Nara and the prisoner simply was astonished that a cilvion had not only endured such an attack but subdued a dangerous felon with out force was simply amazing to him.

"Why did you do it Mrs. Nara?" He was compelled to ask because to him it would have been better if they simply dugg their Kunai into her head to stop her.

"Because, I don't want her to be another casualty and prisonar to war." She brushed the young girls long red locks away from her face and seen the look of a longing child, a child in pain and not the face of a murderous enemy.

"…I am sorry Mrs. Nara but I do not understand." He said honestly not seeing her reasoning.

"Do you have children?"

"...No I do not."

"Then I wouldn't espect you to understand, maybe one day when you do you will see." Responding to him in a calm mannar.

The ANBU looked on as she cradled the girl in her arms keeping her in a gental embrace so she may sleep peacefully for awhile if only to know peace and care this one day. The ANBU respectively walked up and applied what limited medical jutsu he knew to heal what bruses and cuts he could that she endured, the Nara only nodded in silent appritiation.

It took Shikamaru an extra half hour to finaly reach the hospital after making several stops along the way. (many stalling as much time as possible) As he entered the doors of the Konoha Hospital he soom was greeted by a kind civilian nurse wearing a light pink gown and a small pink hat with a large red cross on it.

"Hello there Shikamaru are you here to see your teammates today?" Her tone being oddly cheerful and sweet to his ears.

"Yeah that's right, any change in their conditions?" Asking with intent intress that broke his usualy dull demeaner.

"Well both Neji Hyuga and your friend Chouji are still in bad condition but their getting much better however they still shouldn't be able to move around for afew more days, Kiba on the other hand has already healthy enough to leave but choose to stay here with them." She bowed to him and he gave her a small smile back. "You remember their room numbers don't you?"

"Yes I do, thank you for the information, I really appritiate it." He gave her a slow one handed wave as he turned and trudged his way to the steirs where now he would have to walk three flights up to get to their locations.

Room 314 was first on the list where his friend Kiba and Akamaru had been staying. The young Nara knocked three times and heard Kiba's loud "Come on in Shikamaru!" from the other side of the door, it annoyed him that Kiba knew it was him from just how he knocked.

"Whated you do smell me coming here? Nara asked as he entered to see Kiba sitting on near the window with Akamaru on his shoulder. He found it amusing how moth the dog and his mater wore identical casts.

"Kinda, Akamaru smelled you coming up from the second steir floor so we knew you would stop by here." Kiba leaned against the wall while his dog gave a affirmitive woff.

"Really amazing guys, I bet yous have a lot of fun sniffing the ladies to find a good mate don't you?" Nara smiled openly at them as they both semi blushed at the thought of their 'special' abilitys to be used for such…'things'.

"Aww come on Shikamaru did you really come here to insult and humiliate us?" Letting afew laughs emerge at the perverted idea.

"Well I heard you two were doing well, well enough to leave infact to leave the hospital I hear." Giving his teammate a soulem nod to the dog boys fast recovery.

"Heck yeah!" He shouted unnecessarily. "But you know its kinda nice to be waited on hand and foot by pretty girls Shikamaru."

Shikamaru quickly had a comical scene envelop in his head of Tayuya wearing a maid costume and serving him as her master while he kicked back and drank tea and stared at the sky. It was amusing but a fantasy that would remain just that for he knew she would sooner kill herself then ever bow to him of serve him in any way.

"I wouldn't know Kiba I am usualy on the bitch end of womens demands." Holding his brow at the actuality that he really was the sub serviant one with all the females he knew, ino, his mother and even Tayuya were no exseption to the fact he allways got stuck obeying orders.

"Whoa man not like you to swear heh, something bugging you?" Kiba leaned forward as well as Akamaru and tried to figure out what was the matter.

"Huh ohh I'm fine guys just been ordered around my trouble some women all day." Satisfied with his answer they gave up questioning him any farther.

"I hear ya Shikamaru, specialy hate it when they shout all loud for no reason I mean it really hurts our sensitive ears I tell ya." Akamaru gave a small whimper at the thought.

The procrastinator mentaly thought to himself. 

"Well I also wanted to you two really did a good job on the mission." Nara's voice lost te small comical tone it had before as he joked.

"Yo don't even worry about it Shikamaru we know we did good as we could so you don't need to worry and feel bad about us got it!" Kiba stood up and gave him a toothy smile showing his insicors.

"…If you insist man, in that case imma check on Neji." Motioning himself to the door.

"Good luck he is still all moody about getting his butt kicked by that spider creep so don't exspect a long conversation." Kiba announced as if remembering trying to have a word with him getting litte results.

"Thanks for the warning Kiba really appritiate it." Giving Kiba the same one handed lazy wave as he was about to exit.

"No problem…ohh Shikamaru you really need to get off your lazy ass and clean your cloths some time." He and Akamaru laughed alittle at Shikamarus confused stare.

"I cant smell that bad do I?" Asking a bit irritated.

"huh no its not that I mean your still wearing the cloths from when we did the mission, me and Akamaru here can smell that Sound opponents scent you fought during the mission is all."

His mind raced at a reply. 

"Uhh yeah guys I really need to make an effort and clean my stuff sometime. He bluffed and they simply smiled back at him buying it. They didn't need to know he was playing house keeper with one of the people who nearly ended his and their lifes.

A few steps into the hall and he arrived at room 316, the temporary den of Neji Hyuga. Some say you could feel the pissed aura resonating off him as you merly passed by.

Again Shikamaru knocked three times and waited for a reply.

"Enter Shikamaru." Was the only cold reply he got.

"Don't tell me you could smell me as well?" Nara dryly joked as he opened the door and entered the room to see Neji alittle confused at his question.

"…No I merly picked up on how you slowly knock on doors since you have bothered me so often like that." His scowl was serious though he didn't mean to insult.

"Sorry about that Neji I just wanted to see how you were doing is all."

"I am recovering well, in two weeks I will be able to leave this infernal prison and begin training again so next time I will be much more effective during another mission, now if you would please leave me to my thoughts Nara." Neji gave Shikamaru a simple head bow and turned his gaze to the street across from his window as he went back to counting the many birds sitting on the power lines.

"Sure thing Neji, see you later then." He simply complied with the moody teammate and left to go see Chouji.

Thankfully Chouji's room was next to Neji's in room 318.

Knock knock…knock

"You better have my snacks this time!" An enraged voice shouted from the room much to Shikamaru's surprise. Deciding to simply open the door Nara did and surprised Chouji who layed bandaged up on his med.

"S-Shikamaru its you!" She lowered his voice in surprise.

"Yeah Choiji I'm sorry I'm not some hot nurse getting you food or anything." Shikamaru's smile returned upon seeing his dear friend not being on the brink of death any more like he was when he first was admited.

"Yeah me too cause she is LATE!" Shikamaru looked blankly at him before they both laughed at each other to the point of tears.

"I am really glad to see you have recovered so much Chouji and guess what man." Nara waited for Chouji's reply.

"What?!" The chubby ninja shouted in suspense.

"I may not be a hot nurse or anything but I hope you will accept this chips from a lazy bum like myself." Shikamaru could have sworn he saw Chouji's eyes glow at the mention of having chips for him.

"Come on man don't hold out on me like this!" Chouji begged hi best friend as best he could not to tease him.

"Jeez make me out to be an Aromatic Grass dealer or something why don't ya." Shikamru took out a medium sized scroll and formed his hands over it

"Henge!" And in a poof of smoke afew douzen bags of BBQ chips appeared as well as other assorted flavors.

"You are the best friend ever Shikamaru." Chouji waisted no time in poping them open and consuming their flavorful goodness as fast as he could.

"I am glad you like it but I gotta be going now Chouji, I got another troublesome assisnment from that old hag of a Hokage and well I don't trust leaving it alone so long." Keeping the contents of his mission as few as he could with out lying to his best friend.

"No problem Shikamaru I understand, becaurefull cause I think she enjoys working you like a dog, well later then." munch munch munch

Shikamaru merly laughed and walked out of the room while giving Chouji his patented lazy wave and decided to make his way back home to see how his 'mission' was doing.

Else where in the Uzumaki Residents.

**"Did you brother…make sense…of that scroll yet?"** The diminuative Kamui asked rather annoyed his big brother spent all morning and well into the afternoon reading and learning jutsu.

"Nope nope nope, it doesn't say what to do so I would need him to tell me but the other few weren't to bad." Tossing another scroll into a pile.

Letting bitterness fill his voice. 

"Ahh yes the scool, we start tomorrow I believe so try and be nice will you?" Giving his still cloaked brother a hearty smile.

**them…brother." **Kamui hissed from the ceiling as he meditated. 

"Fair enough but it wouldn't hurt would it?…ohm and Kamui could you water his plants while your up there cause that was one of the conditions he left for Tsunade to relay to them.

The small figure let out a hiss as he exhaled. 

"Thanks I really appritiate it brother, OHHH have you seen this hat thing?!" Shouting unnecessarily loud while he fondled what appeared to be a rodent wearing a hat that was a hat in it self.

The cloaked figure only looked up (down) in repuslion of the interesting item and huffed and sighed before giving his brother an afirmitive nod.

"Hahas we so have to let Tayuya-chan borrow this and take a picture of it!" Placing it over his own head distressed his hair wouldn't allow it.

Letting his growing irritation subside for a moment. 

"Welllll…depending on how her situation is going we could either leave her here or take her with us when we leave but it all depends on her really you know." Noding to him self while tossing the hat aside to take a cup of ramen into his hands.

Kamui only rolled his eyes at the mention of his name while returning to his constant meditation before both of their interests were centered on the door as a weak tapping as barely heard upon it.

Slowly Kuroshi walked to the door not expecting a visitor while Kamui stealthfuly dropped from the ceiling and activated his camoflauge justsu. After the door was slowly opened a average sized girl stood there is a baggy coat and pants shacking and looking at the floor while trembling to try and speak.

"I-I-I-I-I-I-uhhh I…" Her stuttering getting the best of her she finaly turned her head up keeping her eyes closed and finaly shouted "I LOVE YOU!" With all her might before instantly looking down and feeling the sweat run off her face. She grew more nervouse when all she heard was silence as a reply but shot to attention when a hand layed itself down on her shoulder foring her to open her eyes to witness her loves response.

"I….am so touched little girl!" Holding back tears at her declaration of love.

Her lavender eyes widened emensly as she looked at the two strange figures before her, they were not Naruto the one her declaration was intended for, no no they certainly weren't.

Before the young girl could make a sound in response her face flushed and she passed out falling to the ground in front of them with a heavey thud. Kuroshi merly looked back to his brother with a questioning face then dragged the girl inside before the ANBU or anyone else for that matter could notice.

Back at the Nara residents.

"AIEEE, what happened?!" Shizune shrieked as she saw all the bruses and fractures as she inspected Yoshino's body.

"It's nothing too serious and it wasn't intended." Yoshino sat on the couch with Tayuya's head resting against her lap still fast and deeply asleep with an extra genjutsu sleep seal added just in case.

"I knew this was a bad idea I just knew it, I told lady Tsunade but she didn't listen to me she never does!" The Hokage's assistant paniced as she healed her patients fractured ribbs.

"Please Shizune-Sama let me explaine the Situation myself to the Hokage-Sama as soon as I can." Letting out a sigh as she looked down at the girl resting on her before a sharp voice silenced the room completely.

"Well you had better explaine what the hell happened soon before I lose my temper!" Standing in the middle of the room with the two ANBU officers who she had assigned to watch over the Nara residents for such instances.

"Hokage-sama!" Both Yoshino and Shizune shouted in surprise seeing their villages leader standing with a pissed off look at the current situation in the center of the room with both masked officers side by side.

"I-it was my fault for going over the line both verbaly with her and physicaly Hokage-Sama so please do not blame her for what happened." Bowing while still sitting down as to not wake still resting girl up.

"Verbaly and physicaly?" Flipping her blond hair back.

"Well when my son went to see how his team was in the hospital me and her talked about it for awhile and began to talk about both of their missions and she was angry that I showed her pitty and remorse, I decided that I wanted to help her live a better life if I could and told her that and well…" Yoshino broke off in deep thought remembering the incident.

"Well?" Tsunade pressed tapping her foot heaveyly on the floor.

"I must have hit an emotional cord and…she began suffering from a mental breakdown so I held her to calm her down and that's where I endured these injuries and not from Tayuya deliberately attacking me." Yoshino loocked down and brushed another strand of long red hair off the young girls face.

"And you two whated you do when she lost it?" Turing back with a swing of her hips to stare down her ANBU underlings.

"Hokage-Sama!, when it became appearent the prisoner was out of control and harming miss Nara we rushed to kill her but were stopped by miss Nara who ordered us not to interfer." Both men shouted the same sentence back at their leader much to Tsunades astonishment.

"Why did you order them not to help?" The busty blond swung her attention back at the Nara woman with perked interest as to what gave her the atuority to call off 'her' own men.

"I knew I could calm the situation with out any blood spilling so I called them off." Letting alittle anger show in her face at the unnecessary display of force by the leaf nins.

"I see Yoshino, wake her up…now!" The Hokage demanded signaling one of her ANBU's to release the genjutsu seal off her.

Quick to obey the Hokage the fox masked ANBU to her right rushed to the redheaded girl resting soberly on Yoshino's lap and began making hand signs before finishing "RELEASE!"

It took a few minutes but the redheads eyes slowly opened to blankly stare at a pair of knee's before she blanly stared up to see the Hokage grining at her intently with ANBU on both her sides of her before leaning up to see she was resting on the rats mothers lap for awhile now as well as Shizune by her side.

Tayuya thought as she knew that this was going end horribly for her. 

"Rise and shine Tayuya, you know your in deep shit don't you?" Tsunade bellowed holding her hips with both hands.

"…yeah." Tayuya resonded with an empty tone.

Seeing how depressed and dejected the Kunoichi was Tsunade decided to cut her some slack even if it would cost her.

"I had decided to lock you up but Mrs. Nara here pleaded for you so I decided to over look this transgrestion for now if you give up some info on that snake bastard so decide." Letting a grin emerge as the redheads brows frowned in thought.

"…You got a damn map?" Shocking Shizune and Mrs. Nara at her willingness to give up information.

With a wider grin Tsunade took a scroll out of her pocket and place her thumb over the seal making several maps appear. Tayuya took the largest scroll which contained all the countries on it and motioned for a pen which Shizune eagerly gave her from the clip board she carried to record Yoshino's injuries on. Silently Tayuya started marking off circles on the map while blankly staring emptily at the parchment as if signing death warrents.

After a few minutes she finished and sat back into the couch and stayed away from the map as if it was plagued and felt a reassuring hand rub her shoulder and saw Yoshino give her a kind smile then looked over behind her to see the same smile in the Hokages assistances face.

"And just what is this?" Tsunade eyed it carfuly.

"Their the damn Sound bases, but it wouldn't be smart to attack them all in a row or their gonna realize you have someone leaking information and if they find its me they will kill me…" _"Not that that matters to this bitch!"_ Tayuya bitterly added in her mind.

Content with Tayuya's willingness to give information as well as giving her a hint on how to use the information…even if it was just to cover her own ass.

"Thanks Tayuya, who knows there just might be a future for you here well if Shikamaru doesn't kill you for today." While it was just an idle joke Tayuya knew that Shikamaru 'had' already warned her with the threat of death if she hurt his mother and she already had commited said act not even ten minutes after he had left.

"Ohh and if this information is wrong remember I know where you live!" Tsunade grinned and pointed to the ceiling with a wide smile before leaving with her two ANBU following her like obedient dogs.

"W-wait lady Tsunade!" Shizune shouted as she rushed after her leader and friend stopping only to bow at Yoshino and Tayuya before she left much to both their surprise.

Soon after they left a confused Shikamaru entered the house with a perplexed look on his face as to why Tsunade had just walked by and wished him 'good luck' and strod off waving a folded map in the air. His confusion greatened as he saw his mother sit side by side with Tayuya who looked oddly subdued. Before he could utter a sound Tayuya stood up turned to Yoshino and spook just softly enough so Shikamru couldn't hear her then made her way up to her room.

Shikamaru was further intrigued by his mothered shocked reaction followed by a warm smile as she watched her house guest walk up the steirs.

"…So what the hell happened mom?" Scratching the back of his pony tail in utter confusion.

"Ohh nothing much Shikamaru dear just a little girl time." Beaming her son a wide grin.

"Erghh never mind ited be to troublesome to ask or care."

"How is everyone doing at the hospital?" Asking intently.

"Their fine, Kiba is ready to leave but Chouji and Neji are doing better…hey we got anything decent too eat?"

"Let me check the fridge." Yoshino stood up from the couch and walked off to the kitchen with a slight limp that perked Shikamaru's brow.

Back at the Uzumaki residents.

"So what do we do with her?" Kuroshi asked his brother as he inspected the unconscious girl intently.

Taking an objected adjacent from him in the corner and readying it over the girl. 

"Ohh and whats that brother?…wait what are you doing with that…DON'T!" The gray haired teen reached out to stop his little brothers hand but was to late.

A loud shreik could be heard from Naruto's appartment followed by deafening silence.

"…B-brother…"

* * *

For those who didnt read the poll i had, i meantion that i was writting a prequal to Cursed Death that takes place while Sound is just forming. The story follows 4 Rouge Merc Ninja's who do jobs for Naruto's less Favored characters. 


	9. Lines Drawn

All was silent in the Uzumaki Residents as warm pools formed at the side of the laying girl as her lavender eyes stared aimlessly at the ceiling before finally reacting.

"Eeeeeik!" She screamed waking to consciousness after being doused with a warm pot of water (As well as the noodles inside it)

"Uhhh brother did you…have to throw our lunch at her?" Kuroshi shot his bother a sharp glare while the frightened girl crawled across the floor behind his head in fear of the unidentified intruders in her source of admirations home.

"W-wh-at are y-you d-oing in N-Naruto-kuns house?!" Stuttering uncontrollably while readying a shaky kunai in hand to fend them off.

"Ohhh I am sorry little girl, allow me to introduce myself and my sulking brother here for you see my name is Kuroshi Kurama and he is my dear brother Kamui and we are here with permission I assure you by your Hokage herself." Giving the frightened girl a bow and smile while his brother only stared at her silently.

"N-naruto-kun all r-ready l-l-l-eft?" She said while slowly lowering her kunai in complete disappointment.

"Yes a few days ago…" He paused to motion his hand again as to what her name was.

"I- I am Hinata H-hyuuga of the H-hyuuga clan."

"It is very nice to meet you Hinata-chan." Giving the young girl a bow letting his long gray hair fall over his face in a graceless fashion.

"I-I am s-sorry I intruded…g-g-ood bye!" Giving both of them a quick nod and making a rush for the door in both embarrassment as well as her hopes and dreams shot down the moment she had finally mustered the courage and nerve to admit her feelings for her beloved Naruto.

Making a break for the door the young Hyuuga ran to her home to sob away from prying eyes so that she could lament in peace but that didn't stop her from leaving twin streams of tears trailing far behind her getting the attention of villagers and spectators alike all the way back to her mansion, through the halls and into her room.

While the young Hinata ran with all her might to her home to sob the absence of her love the two inhabitants of the Uzumaki residents watched as she ran out of view into the crowed streets before the door finally shut with a slam.

"She's a pure one isn't she little brother?" Turning over to Kamui who remained in a deafened silence.

"Wow Kamui, love at first sight ehh ehh?" Slightly elbowing his cloaked companion with renewed zeal.

"…**.Do not…mock me…when you are attracted…to a…mock up…woman…dear brother." **Dropping his plastered smile all together as he recalled passed events.

Kuroshi's delayed response was only a low toned and barley audible words that possibly translated into something along the lines of "Damn bro that's fucked up." but was such a low mumble what he actually said couldn't be confirmed.

Back at the Nara residents Tayuya was not having a good day at all. To begin with she had just spent the morning eating at the table with her sworn enemy and his family, followed by an emotional breakdown which left her constantly in thought and unsettled not to mention confused. Her breakdown lead to her host being attacked and injured, this was of course a strike for her to be beheaded and on top of that her life was just spared by the very person she her self had injured. But the worst thing that had happened today was when she had given the villages Hokage the whereabouts of every single Sound base, Tayuya was still trying to figure out why in her head. Was it because she finally wanted to deserve the title of traitor that she would be officially labeled by both Leaf and Sound alike? Did she do it so she wouldn't be taken from a home to a cell? Or did she just didn't give a fuck any more? The more the young Kunoichi pondered these thoughts over and over again in her room the more it became obvious that it might have been a combination of everything that made her do it. While Tayuya contemplated in solitude…well as much solitude as a now increased to the number of four ANBU watching her every move could get you Shikamaru also began to wonder about a few things down stairs.

"Hey mom, what's with the Hokage coming here and everything?" Asking his parental dryly with slight interest.

"O-ohh well uhh she came to receive information from Tayuya about Sound that's all." Yoshino replied deciding not to mention Tayuya's little episode.

"Information?, willingly?" Adding a little more surprise and interest into his lazy speech.

"Yes, as soon as the Hokage asked her she gave it to her willingly." Adding cheer and appreciation in her voice.

"Yeah?, well what'd the demon girl give her?" Shikamaru had a tone that dripped with interpretation that if Tayuya gave anything…it'd be worth shit.

"Only the locations of all the Sounds hidden bases." Yoshino let a smug smirk spread across her face as she watched her sons surprised reactions.

"Y-you gotta be kidding me?!, I'd take her to be a die hard follower of Orochimaru to her last breath, hell even the lowest ranked Sound guards wouldn't dare disclose such information." Shikamaru slumped into their family's couch and pondered this new information so intently he hadn't even noticed he had taken to his signature 'thinkers' position as he normally did when faced with a nearly impossible situation.

"I was a little surprised my self Shikamaru, we all couldn't believe it at first but I am really starting to think she wants to live in Konoha." Yoshino said while nodding to her self silently after speaking.

"Well whatever, but her wanting to be here has got to be bull, I mean she has been here two days so far so what could possibly make her want to stay here?." The young Nara said giving his mother a questioning look.

"…" Yoshino was silent as her gaze fell to the floor as she remembered the sobbing girl cradled in her arms while she was mentally 'broken'.

"Yo?, earth to mom? Did…something happen?" Shikamaru narrowed his gaze after realizing his mothers reluctance to talk.

"What happened?!" He repeated once more in an extremely cold tone.

"I-it was an accident Shikamaru honey." Yoshino stopped talking when she noticed her sons body twitch for just a moment at her words.

"What…was an 'accident'?" He paced his speech as to not jump to any imminent conclusions.

"Shortly after you left Tayuya and I began talking about your teammates in the hospital and eventually about the mission both you and her teams met on and I offended her when I hit an emotional cord, she began to have a breakdown after that mark on her neck began to glow so I tried to calm her down by holding her, she never meant to hurt me Shikamaru!" Yoshino pleaded with her son but to no avail, he was already making his way to her room.

"Shikamaru don't, come back here, STOP!" She continued calling out to his deaf ears, Shikamaru didn't want to hear reason he wanted to make that demon girl pay for hurting one of his loved ones.

Yoshino's arm stretched out to him as he nearly reached the top of the stair case, he slapped his mothers hand away and looked back at her with a glare which shook her to her core for she saw that same face her husband wore back in the days of their youth and it scared her.

Tayuya sat quietly in the center of her bed slowly rocking back and forth in thought as she had her head resting between her knees, both arms wrapped around her legs as she bobbed. She sensed the killer intent that floated in the air like a stale odor but choose to ignore it and think, if she died right now she wouldn't care.

Opening the door Shikamaru rushed in to see his red headed guest slowly rocking on the bed, not in a traumatic way just rocking out of a possible habit she had. Quickly closing the door to prevent interference Shikamaru shouted at his resident in thought.

"Hey Sound bitch!" The girls head removed itself from her lap and turned to stare at him wide eyed.

"_Sound bitch?!"_ Tayuya thought to her self unsure if she was more surprised then angry at him yelling at her in such a way.

A few seconds of pure silence passed with neither in response as they stared at each other.

"You promised me damn it!" Shikamaru's angry voice broke the silence sending a shock down Tayuya's body.

"Promised you what?" Slowly turning her head away from his view.

"Hurting my loved ones!, just today I warned you and you do it…do you really want to die?!" Shikamaru was unnaturally angry now, so much so his body physically shook as he yelled. He had lived a slow, calm laidback life and never once experienced unbridled anger so to be standing there, muscles tensed and spit flying out of his mouth as he yelled was completely unsettling for both him and Tayuya alike.

"You gonna go through with it numb nuts?" Eying him emotionlessly.

Deep exhale "What the hell happened huh?"

Tayuya emptily stared at Nara as he forcibly calmed down and tried rationalize the situation.

"…Ask your mother or that cow of a Hokage because if you keep asking me shithead you will have to kill me got that?"

"…Erghh fine just answer me one thing first." Shikamaru waited to see the slight nod of Tayuya's head. "Was it intentional?"

"…No, curse seal activated and she tried to stop it so she grabbed me and got hurt in the process, those masked fuckers were about to kill me but your mother stopped them even though she was being injured…why? Tayuya silently stared waiting for an answer.

"So that's what happened huh, cant you control it like before when we fought?"

"Hey answer me first dips hit or you get squat!" The flutist barked not letting him have control over the conversation.

"Fine…I don't why she spared you from them I mean its too troublesome to let someone like you do as they please like she does, I don't know she has just been weird this past week." Scratching the back of his pony tail in confusion of his mothers parental actions recently.

"The hell you mean 'you don't know', what the hell could have happened?" Tayuya shouted losing her temper with his denseness to his surroundings.

"Hey you first remember, what happened with that mark?" Nara let out a snicker now that he was playing her game on equal ground.

"Tchh fine fucker, it just reacted okay?!, this whole shit in your village is driving me nuts and she just put me over the edge with her pity, there's no kami dammed reason she should even act like she gives a shit about me unless she is trying to sugarcoat information out of me and I will be dammed if I fall for some kind words and fake smiles!" The young redhead ended in a huff after relieving a portion of her burdens off her mind for the time being as loud as she could to boot.

"Trust me Sound girl she doesn't sugarcoat anything, she has always been a blunt hardass who doesn't hold back when giving you a piece of her mind, that's why I cant figure out why she has become so accepting and understanding recently, hell I don't even get why she agreed to have you live here after knowing what happened during the mission let alone like you…you know?"

"Like me?! How the fuck can she like me?!, she doesn't Kami dammed know one damn thing about me!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Hell if I know, you women are weird like that." Nara shrugged his shoulders while raising both hands as if it were an impossible problem to solve.

"Whatever you sexist prick…you got what you wanted so leave me the fuck alone…that or kill me, either way make up your damn mind and get the fuck out." Tayuya crossed her arms across her chest then swung her head in his opposite direction as if disgusted with his mere presence.

"Yeah I'm leaving, I had enough time in the dragons lair anyway." He smiled seeing her hold back another hate filled rant. "There's still some stuff I wouldn't mind hearing first."

"Like what faggot?"

"Sasuke." Shikamaru paused after noticing her turning around. "Did he really leave of his own free will?"

Chuckle chuckle "You poor bastard, ha that's good I mean really good…you and your team got sent and you didn't even know why?" Tayuya tried to hold the laughter back that had just suddenly swelled up but was failing miserably. "The prick left yous, he always wanted to leave your sorry asses to begin with because your village held him back from achieving his selfish little dreams." Tayuya continued laughing to himself.

"I see…and what was the Sound Fours part in his escape?" Nara tried to remain serious but her laughter was surprisingly irritating to him.

"Orochimaru got tired of waiting for that Uchiha shit to come to him, so he had us convince him to leave which wasn't hard because he was always looking for a chance to leave your sorry asses goodbye, would you believe that prick actually became our leader when he decided to join Sound? Ironically by chasing after him you killed your precious Sasuke's teammates." Tayuya's delight in the situation now pulled a 360 and all the sick joy she got was turned into bitter hatred for both Sound and Leaf alike.

"I see, we didn't know any of that information, we were just told to retrieve him and to be on guard if any bodyguards were aiding him…I didn't know you guys were Sasuke's teammates."

"Like that would have made a fucking difference?!, yous still would have followed him and we still would have had to fought so get the fuck over it, not like you Leaf shits cared about staining you hands with blood to achieve your goal. Best part was you were throwing your lives away for a prick who would have tried leaving again even if you caught him…just like we threw our lives away for a undeserving prick like 'Sasuke-kun'! " Saying the last part in an imitation of her former masters snakiest voice.

"…Yeah I guess your right about that, but Sasuke was a comrade and we had orders so we had to go after him regardless."

"Yeah comrades hmpt, you might look at him as that but to him you all are all damn burdens so just let the prick get his ass taken over…heh ass taken over!" Tayuya let her imagination take a hold of her again at that rather disturbing yet comical mental image that is now running through her head of her master playing a game of grab ass with the Uchiha child.

"Are you always this weird?" Snapping Tayuya out of her dream world.

"S-shut the hell up Nara, and what the hell are you still doing here?!" Glaring at him as he sat across from her.

Shikamaru finally noticed that sometime after his anger subsided that he had unknowingly sat across from her on the chair for the table in the corner of the room and listened to her speak with actual interest.

"Well it'd be too troublesome to just ignore while you were talking and I got tired of standing okay" Shrugging off some of the awkwardness that was now building in the room. He didn't feel like telling her that normally when someone rants to him he just dozes off if its uninteresting but she had managed to keep his attention the entire time much to his own surprise.

"Whatever you lazy prick, ohh and don't tell me you forgot why you're ass is here in the first place?" Narrowing her glare. "You did come to kill me didn't you prick?"

"Huh?…ohh yeah well it'd be to troublesome now anyways since your cooperating with the village and everything, regardless my mom would be pissed if I killed you with out a good reason and I really don't need her to revert to her usual self." Shikamaru added a few nods to make it look like what he was saying was reasonable to him at least even if he didn't mean it.

"Usual self?"

"Yeah usual self, like I was saying before normally she is a real hard ass but up until about a week ago she suddenly became all motherly for some reason so count your self lucky not to be on the wrong side of her Sound girl."

"Stop calling me Sound girl you obnoxious smug prick!, I have a damn name so remember it!" Standing up from the bed and trying to stare down her taller opponent as she shouted.

"Yeah Tayuya got it, now can I go now?" Nara asked while thumbing the door.

"Get the fuck out already!, I never asked you to be here!" Raising her fist to his face.

With that Shikamaru made his way to the door rather relieved he didn't have to resort to violence even if he was justified to seek it out. But before he could leave a knock came to the surprising both of them equally.

"You kids doing okay in there or do you need a minute?" A males voice could be heard from the other side.

"_Damn it dad what the hell could we need a minute for in the…" _Shikamaru stopped after realizing what he had meant.

"That's messed up man you know that." Nara called out to his father only to hear a hushed laugh.

"Who the fuck is that and what the fuck does he think were doing?!" Tayuya roared after coming to the same conclusion as her Nara as well.

"That's just my dad, don't let him get to you, he says some weird crap sometimes." Shikamaru warned her lightly only to see her swish her head in a flurry of red hair in utter disgust.

"Yeah were okay dad just venting some steam." Nara felt a huff behind him followed by a grunt.

"Well can you let me in cause your mother just about had me ready to bust the door down." Shikaku felt said mothers cold glare run down his back reminding him of the danger he was in from her for not acting sooner.

"Yeah sure I was just leaving anyway." Eyeing the red haired girl one final time to see if she was about to attack him if he turned his back but saw no such motives from her empty expression.

click The doorknob turned till the door was wide open revealing Shikamaru's father standing nonchalantly while Yoshino tried to look over his shoulder to see if everyone was okay in the room.

"Yo," Shikaku raised his hand to greet Tayuya who only glared at him. "Its good to see everything is okay, mind a talk for a bit?"

"…Its your damn house isn't it…you damn rat." Crossing both her arms Tayuya watched a confused Shikaku turn to his son as they walked by each other and listened to him ask "Rat Shikamaru?" followed by Shikamaru's response of "Don't ask dad its just to troublesome to understand her."

As soon as Shikamaru exited the room he met the stern glare of his mother as she stared him down for disobeying her and worrying her so much.

"Geeze mom just give me a break once in a while will ya." Not even waiting for a response Shikamaru walked past his mother and entered his room letting himself fall against his pillow and decided to listen too the conversation between his father and the demon in the next room.

"So Tayuya is it?, uhh how are you adjusting so far?" Shikaku asked as he twisted the chair his son was seating on around and sat in front of her resting his arms atop the back support of the chair as his sat reversed.

"…" Tayuya remained quiet.

"Ehh?, something wrong?" Raising a brow as he asked.

"…you heard what happened didn't you?" Her voice was cold as if already knowing what his response was going to be.

"Ohh that, yeah I heard from Tsunade-sama on my way here then heard from Yoshino when I got home but don't worry about that Tayuya, it wasn't your intention to harm her after all right?" He waited for a reply for a moment and watched as the young girl lowered her head away from him and let out a bitter sounding "…No." as if she was ashamed to admit it.

"Well then its all in the past then." Trying to cheer her up as best he could before getting cut off.

"Don't give me that shit!, you expect me to buy your okay with that, that you forgive me for almost killing your shit of a son and hurting your wife…I'm not that fucking naïve!"

"Let me put it this way Tayuya, I have been a ninja pretty much all my life since I was your age and I have seen more then my share of conflicts. Because of that I understand that you being from a side opposing ours makes both of us each others bad guys and that right now you are pretty much a captive here in this village whether you are in a cell or not so this must be very difficult for you." After saying that much he reached into his vest causing Tayuya to go on guard only to be 'disappointed' it was only a small sake bottle.

"That's why I agreed to have you stay here shortly after our family was asked by the Hokage to sponsor an enemy of our village, I heard how you beat Shikamaru and escaped his Jutsu and battle tactics, normally given a captive with your abilities you would be executed immediately for the safety of the village but since you were willing to help us and become a Leaf ninja of Konoha…well you get the idea." Shikaku paused and took a deep guzzle of the sweet rich sake and looked at the girls face to try and guess what she was thinking so far, he was sure she was angry to say the least.

"So…I should be fucking thanking you for giving me a good word so I can be brought up in your nice fucking home and be slowly brainwashed into conforming into a Leaf shit?!" Tayuya practically showed her teeth as she grinded her jaw while suppressing her anger and hatred.

"Thank me?, nahh that's up to you if you want too." Stopping to drink down another gulp of sake before continuing getting insulted by his feisty guest. When he saw she had nothing to say to that he decided he would get to his point before she flipped her lid on him.

"Well the whole point as to why I'm here is to ask you if you are gonna give it a try Tayuya…if you don't want to you don't have to spend another minute here, we can leave right now if you want."

Tayuya remained silent for what might have been a nearly five minutes as her mind raced in deep thought about the events of her life in its entirety. Faces, people, places, voices, words and sounds…fear, pain, lose depression, joy…murders, killings, fights, blood…her hatred, her rage and her sorrow…all these things raced through her mind in constant conflict causing her to physically tremble and shake. Her pale face reddened and her cold merciless brown eyes began to tremble. Seeing how this small girl was at war with her very self made it clear to Shikaku that this is how she snapped and harmed his wife. Her black curse seal flared to life as if on fire causing her to rite in pain and take hold of her head to silence the chaos storm with in her very soul.

Shikaku sprung out of his chair knocking it across the floor and ran to her side with his arms raised in the air chest level unsure of what to do, to try and knock her out or catch her if she passed out were his most likely options but before he could decide the young redhead stopped moving as her curse seal gave out one last silent pulse and subsided into her neck receding its cracked markings that had spread all over her body. Motionless she remained for a moment until she lifted her head up to face his, her dark brown eyes staring aimlessly out from under her long red bangs till it met his own eyes.

Her lips moved for a moment but no sound came forth at first but at nearly a whisper she spoke to him with her voice carrying the very tone of her unstable soul.

"…I want…to stay here but understand this…" Tayuya turned her left shoulder to him and slightly pulled down her shirt revealing her curse seal mark. "I am bound as Orochimaru's slave for as long as we both live, so long as I have this mark there is no freedom…no protection, so no matter what you people try to sugar coat me fucking with this mark is a constant reminder you all have no control over me whether I'm bound and gagged with restraints in a prison cell or living freely in your streets…it doesn't fucking matter because I am his fucking tool and if Orochimaru finds out I am alive, that I am fucking helping you shits he wont need to send assassins or any other lowlife pieces of shit…because he can kill me through this mark, he can show me endless pain and suffering until my damned body fails and I die. So I will give you information, give you damned assistance…but I'm fucked if he ever finds out."

The room remained eerily silent now. Shikaku couldn't find the words to say to her and Tayuya didn't expect any. It was made perfectly clear that whether she aided Konoha willingly or unwillingly that she was to be a slave to Orochimaru regardless.

"…You can stay here Tayuya, …we should go see the Hokage tomorrow and let her know about everything okay?" His rough voice was firm yet…sympathetic to a degree.

Tayuya cracked a small twisted smile underneath her long bangs _"Typical encouraging Leaf bullshit…"_ She thought to her self while almost letting out an audible laugh.

Before Tayuya could show her host the error of his ways she felt his hand take hold of her shoulder knocking her out of said thoughts and to the attention of him leaning close to her. Him touching her so casually repulsed her and she would have batted him away if he didn't start talking to her when he did.

"…Here take these, their pretty good medicine and you need them much more then I do right now." Shikaku's rough battle warn face showed a warm enough smile as he ruffled through his vest pockets with his left hand and took out a normal looking scroll and laid it flat on the bed next to her and broke its seal. After the smoke cleared twelve bottles of sake rolled slightly on the sheet and settled.

Tayuya looked wide eyed in disbelief and confusion, it was the sort of look a child has before they lose their innocence to the cruelness of reality. That same look she had on herself when Naruto passed by her when he could have attacked her and slapped his butt in a mocking jester of that of a child leaving her in complete and utter disbelief during her mission to take Sasuke to Orochimaru's base.

"…Your medicine huh?" Her face lost that look of shock as reality set in and looked up at him in a questioning gaze.

"Yeah, I can go a day without it, it wont remove that mark…or make you feel any better about your situation but…" He paused for a few seconds as if building up suspense for a climatic finish. "But you will be too damn drunk to think straight about it." He rubbed her shoulder one final time as she stared blankly at the…wisdom he had allowed her to partake of and made his way towards the door.

"Hide them for now in that scroll, Yoshino is gonna want to check on you and if she finds out I gave you bunch of alcohol well hell knows no furry like a woman's scorn you know and I really don't want to end up sleeping in the dog house tonight again." He waved his hand up in the air as he walked away while Tayuya just slowly blinked and instinctively re-sealed the bottles back in the scroll and hide it under her pillow. The moment it was safe to open the door he did so to meet both his wife and son looking at him, his wife with concern and worry that something bad had happened and his son with a look of annoyance that he had taken the time to see if his father needed help subduing the demon girl. Seeing that they both stared at him expecting an answer he just responded to their stares with. "Everything's okay now, she has decided to aid Konoha."

Both Nara's looked at the man of the house with surprise and disbelief.

"What the heck happened in there?" The youngest Nara beat his mother to the question.

"Ehhh I will tell you two later, right now I need a drink." With that he walked passed them and made his way slowly down the stairs ignoring the facial threats both his mother and son were giving him.

Giving Tayuya one more hard look as she sat in the middle of the bed with her legs hanging off the sides of the bed and her hair in a falling mess covering her face and upper chest Shikamaru turned and made his way to question his father about these…arrangements as his mother has informed him they would earlier that day.

Yoshino her self was the last to enter Tayuya's room and sat down next to her causing the mattress to slid Tayuya to rest against her. Tayuya didn't make eye contact with the Nara mother, she didn't want anyone to see how unstable her own eyes were right now since she was still inwardly fighting with her self.

"You did the right thing Tayuya." Giving the silent girl a one armed hug which lasted for a few minutes before getting up and leaving the room so the ex-Sound member could have a chance to think.

Once she felt she was alone the red haired Kunoichi removed the scroll out from under her pillow and unsealed it releasing the sweet medicine from its confines. Taking one bottle firmly Tayuya brought it to her mouth and dug her teeth deep into the cork and tore it off with satisfaction, throwing her head back to gulp down the bottle in one go then dropping the empty bottle on her bed letting out a refreshing "Ahhh…that's the good shit." Before taking another bottle and gulping it down in equal satisfaction before tossing it to the side for another then one last one to rest and let it work its coarse and take effect, after all Tayuya knew first hand what drinking as much as you could none stop could do to you like it did to her father. Before she knew it she was on the verge of passing out so using the last remnants of consciousness Tayuya quickly resealed the remaining bottles and re-hid the scroll before resting her head against the pillow to fall into deep sleep.

Down stairs the three Nara members sat around the kitchen table speaking of the mission that was passed down to them by the Hokage her self.

"So…what the hells the point of this mission again?" Shikamaru lazily pressed the question already annoyed with the subject.

"How can I put this Shikamaru…that girl is like an egg, an egg filled with valuable intel on our enemies. Now we could crack her open any way we like to get to that information, if we tried force she would resist since after all she has no doubt been trained to resist interrogation by any means by Orochimaru himself. So the Hokage came up with a plan to have her crack herself and give us the information willingly." Shikamaru only stared in disbelief at his fathers terminology.

"What your father means is she wasn't trained to deal with this situation of life outside a cell with a family and Tayuya will not be able to coop with this idea as you have seen." Briefly explaining her husbands words with out a diagram that consisted of a kitchen egg.

"So…it was planned that that troublesome woman would snap to begin with?" Nara asked both his parents bluntly.

"…Yes it was Shikamaru, what better time to gather information then after the subject has passed the physical and mental limit."

"I know how interrogation and torture works dad but this goes beyond that, its cruel and unusual." Shikamaru silenced his father for a moment.

"But it worked dear…" Mrs. Nara spoke softly.

"Yes it did, it is obvious she was unstable to begin with." Shikaku added giving his wife some support before continuing. "Not only has she given us important information about the location of the Sound bases but she has given us detailed information regarding how Orochimaru controls his most power nins, we now know what can be surmised as Sasukes condition under Orochimaru and to top it off Tayuya agreed to help us oppose Sound openly."

"Congratulations, the Hokage's twisted plan worked so far." Shikamaru commented to no one in particular.

"Morality aside Shikamaru the egg has cracked in record time so now its time for the kings horses and men to put the pieces back together again." Still using the egg diagram to explain the situation.

"Crappy metaphors aside dad…remember they couldn't put the egg back together again."

"They couldn't? Really?…man I really need to reread the story then." Shikaku scratched the back of his head while thinking about it but only to cause Shikamaru to rest his face in his hands at how out of it his father was.

"I want to help her." Yoshino said aloud snapping both males to her attention.

"Yeah if you are up to it I am too but I suck with dealing with kids so I will just give you my support okay?" Shikakus statement made his son twitch one eye brow in annoyance.

"I thought you two were fine with just playing jailor." Shikamaru turned his head away as to not sound too interested at their sudden change of heart to help her.

"To be honest with you shika dear…I wanted her to suffer from the start." Both males immediate focused all attention to Yoshino in disbelief at what she had just said. "Not her so much but what she represents, an enemy…the one who almost took my son and who worked with monsters who nearly made us lose Chouji as well. When Tsunade came to me and explained the situation and that if we would cooperate I agreed just to get back at her, just to know she was suffering while I acted like I cared and treated her like a person but I don't have the will to do that any more, I can not stand to see hope flicker in her eyes it just…it just…"Yoshino began to form tears around her eyes and sob lightly."…I thought it'd be easy, I have interrogated prisoners before so why is she any different I told my self…the one who almost took my baby from me, who made you cry and feel so horrible at seeing your closest friends in pain and on the verge of death…but she didn't need us to torture her, she has been slowly tortured for who knows how long by that damned Orochimaru. I came to realize she was just a girl…a very troubled one and that I am a horrible person for putting her through this." Yoshino continued to sob aloud till her husband wrapped his arms around her and whispered a few reassuring words to comfort her.

"Come on mom…don't cry its not that big a deal really." It was uncomfortable for Shikamaru to have to comfort anyone out side of Chouji, it was more uncomfortable to see his mother so worked up.

"That's why Shikamaru I have decided to help her in any way I can." Her tears stopped forming as she achieved resolution.

"And I will support you all the way dear." Added Shikaku with a kiss to his wife's forehead.

"_Can you two stop making out for two minutes its so embarrassing to watch." _Thought Shikamaru while hiding his disgust.

"I need to prepare her new sheets, we can talk more later Shikamaru dear." Yoshino quickly left the table and set her self to the goal of honestly caring for Tayuya instead of just looking as it as orders.

"…I don't get women at all dad." Shikamaru announced as his watched his mother quickly get to work at cleaning and ironing new bed sheets and blankets in the other side of the kitchen.

"What don't you get son?"

"I mean she goes from hating that woman one day and 'liking' (He wasn't completely sure about how to word it) the next."

"That's because your mother is one hell of a woman Shikamaru." Said Nara blankly stared in utter confusion at those words.

"Your mother just has a big heart is all Shikamaru, so big she doesn't have room for hatred any more which is why she left her life as a ninja by my side to become a wife and a mother by my side…she did it to spoil us Shikamaru. You know its like I said before, even the toughest women will show affection and love to the one they love and in our case that's you and me and before you start I know she is stern and can be on our asses at times but she does that out of love and concern for us." Shikaku stared across the room at his wife while she worked tirelessly.

"…And what does any of that have to do with the troublesome demon girl?" Asked Shikamaru who was growing ever more of his fathers random speeches.

"Heh simply this Shikamaru, your mother tried to be something she wasn't any more, she tried to be a discipline ninja and look at that girl as the enemy who she would kill instantly if she crossed the line but those days are long since passed and your mother is just that…a mother, and she can not help be look at her as such no matter how hard she tries. That doesn't mean she is weak Shikamaru, she is one of the strongest women I know because she would fight tooth and nail for either of us but at the same time she is kind hearted but a kind heart isn't a benefit to a ninja since it can easily be their undoing as I am sure you are aware." Shikamaru remained quiet.

"You don't like fighting girls, as sexist as you are deep down you feel its not right don't you Shikamaru?"

"..I-its just too much of a drag." Shikamaru relied on his quick defense to be enough to end the subject.

"A drag my ass Shikamaru, you hold back because to you it doesn't feel right and it has nearly cost you your life already yet you wont change how you fight because its your part of your Nindo so I have no right to make you change."

"…"

"it's the same for me and your mother Shikamaru, its her Nindo to support her family with everything she can while its my Nindo to protect my family and village with everything I can."

"I don't have a Nindo to live by, I just like living an average life doing average things." Shikamaru said aloud partly for his father to hear and partly for himself.

"Yeah and that may be part of your nindo, trust me you do have one even if you haven't realized what it exactly is yet."

"And your gonna tell me the demon woman does?" Letting a little jealousy slip into his voice at his family's attention of her as of late.

"That girl doesn't have a nindo or anything else for that matter as far as I can tell Shikamaru, you see a nindo to a shin obi is like a vow we live by, it defines who we are and what we stand for and right now she doesn't know neither." Again Shikamaru was silenced by his fathers words because deep down he knew that he was right.

"Lets let that be it for now Shikamaru, I could really use a drink right now and I also could go for some eggs to eat." Shikamaru's scowl returned after hearing that. "So live your life how you want Shikamaru while your mother tries to help that girl find a path to follow as well,." Shikaku place his right hand under his chin to try and look 'cool' but stopped seeing that he was ruining the moment between him and his son once he noticed that lazy glare and scowl protruding Shika's face.

"Yeah okay dad…troublesome long winded speeches." Both Nara's left the table and went about their separate ways, Shikaku to the fridge for a drink and Shikamaru to his clouds to think about life and the path of a ninja he will one day decide on himself, even if he unknowingly had already found it.

Else where past the borders of Konoha isolated from society and any unwanted eyes master and student continued their quick training exercise before continuing to their true destination.

"Come on Naruto put some more effort into it, the Akatsuki can take a heck of a lot more then that Naruto." Exclaimed a calm Jiraiya while Naruto knelt near breathless at his feet.

"How is this training when all you do is beat me up?" Cried Naruto as he rubbed his sore body.

"Just think of it as…endurance training Naruto." Smirked Jiraiya before continuing. "I plan to push you to the physical limit Naruto it's the fastest way to make you stronger."

"You just like beating me up and making me look stupid you old pervert!" Naruto pointed at furiously while pointing at him.

"That I do kid but that too will help your training so just think about it as…rising above adversity kid."

"Okay fine pervy sage but just where exactly are we heading too?" Crossing his arms like a child.

"I know some guys down in Iwa who will lend us some land to train in, you could say they owe me and that were good friends." The toad hermit smiled widely.

"So your blackmailing them?" Narrowing his suspicious glare.

"Shut it kid, don't dwell into the affairs of adults and besides I know them from back when our two countries were enemies so back then we were opposing sides but things changed after I spared their lives." Jiraiys's voice became more serious and focused which hushed Naruto's excessive questioning.

"…Hey pervy sage can I ask you something important?" Naruto's voice had more concerned worry in it then just his normal line of questions.

"Yeah Naruto what is it?" Jiraiya took a cautious glance at Naruto trying to sense what was the matter.

"Do you think that Tsunade-baa-chan would kill that Sound girl they caught after we left?"

Jiraiya exhaled deeply before looking into Naruto's shimmering hopeful blue eyes.

"Naruto, Tsunade will do what she feels is right and if that means killing her then that is what she will do."

"Man it just burns me up thinking about it though, her just abusing the power of Hokage so she could settle some personal grudge against Orochimaru by taking it out on his people."

"Naruto you should understand by now how personal grudges work and besides that the responsibility of Hokage is probably what will keep that girl alive, if it was the Tsunade we met way back when then she would most likely ring that girls neck till her head fell off." Letting out a slight snicker escape his mouth as he thought back to all the times he had been attacked by Tsunade.

"Hey its not funny pervy sage I'm serious here!" Pouting ferociously.

"Yeah yeah I know you are Naruto but it wont due you any good getting all upset about it, we will find out how things went when we return after training so until then drop the subject and focus on getting stronger will ya?"

"Fine old man but that doesn't help to get it off my mind."

"Geez do you have to call me old man too kid?" Naruto's smile widened as he laughed at Jiraiya's embarrassment.

"Hehe well you are as old as Tsunade-baa-chan." Letting out a few more snickers.

"And you wonder why I enjoy pummeling you in training." Naruto went silent. "Yeah that's what I thought Naruto, we need to set up camp inna while its getting dark and this area isn't the best place at night."

"Whys that pervy sage? Naruto raised an eye brow.

"For one thing bandits and another are rouge ninja, they like to prey in areas like this in between boarders where help and aid to travelers is none existent." Naruto gave him a funny look.

"Your scared of some guys we can beat with one hand?" Naruto scoffed.

"Can it Naruto, just be quiet and listen to what I tell you, you don't understand how some people operate out here like I do." Reluctantly Naruto nodded in agreement since he hasn't been this far from his home village out in the middle of nowhere.

"Well okay then, we will rest over there by those tree's to night so be sure to scout the area out first for me." Naruto nodded and was on his way while Jiraiya took a deep survey of the surroundings.

Endless lifeless plain with random cropping of tree's and mountains in the distance.

"_Were in vulture territory all right."_ Jiraiya thought before meeting up with Naruto and preparing to set up a small camp for the night.

Back at the Nara residents.

Tayuya had been tossing and turning in her bed for the past half hour, restless and with her stomach turning against her the flutist had no choice but to finally wake up and try to relieve herself.

"F-fuck I over did it with that shit!" Hastily getting out of her bed after waking up and coming to the realization her body was sick.

Making a quick dash out of her room and running to the toilet then throwing the lid off to release the toxins that built up in her body Tayuya began vomiting uncontrollably.

"How troublesome, do you have to be so loud at this hour?" Shikamaru asked with an annoyed tone as he stood outside the bathroom door.

"…The fuck are you doing here shi-URGHHH!" Tayuya was cut off by a convulsion as she vomited more of the alcohol she had consumed before sleeping.

Shikamaru remained at the edge of the door way listening to his family's guest upchuck her stomach contents, she assumed he was enjoying watching her in such a low manner. _"How the kunoichi who nearly killed him has fallen." _She thought disgusted that he was getting some sick satisfaction from this.

Tayuya gripped the sides of the toilet lid tighter while she dove her head towards the bowl nearly getting her long red hair to touch the water below before she felt strange hands take hold of and pull back her bangs back. Immediately her dark brown eyes swirled to attention like a frenzied animal to looked up at Shikamaru who instinctively turned his head away awkwardly as to not make eye contact with her, he also was trying to hide the slight shade of pink that over took his face while he held her hair back. He may not have even liked her but she was still a girl and this was the first contact with one outside of his mother or a fight.

Initially Tayuya decided to bat his hands away but another urge to heave over took her so reluctantly allowed him to aid her while she finished up. The moment she stopped to catch her breath then leaned back loosening her grip on the rim of the toilets sides was when Shikamaru instinctively let her hair go and moved back as if to dodge an invisible fist swing at him.

"Do you enjoy this Nara?" Her dark brown eyes stared at him from her unkept hair.

"As troublesome as it is I am used to aiding people when their vomiting, happened to my dad a lot when I was younger."

"No shithead getting to see me like this, you must freakin enjoy it." The flutist narrowed her eyes at him.

"No not really, its kind of a drag to see you here at all but it cant be helped."

"Is that right?, well you know shithead after I left Orochimaru I came here with the intention to kill you, your friends and your whole damn family." Shikamaru froze at her words but it wasn't from surprise, hell he pretty much expected that but to hear her confess to it so openly was a surprise.

"When I saw that damn orange fool outside your village all fucked up I couldn't help but kick his ass, if that busty bitch didn't show up I wouldn't be here stuck here in your house with your damn family however rat boy that does make my goal of killing you and your family then your friends much more easy now doesn't it?" She gave Shikamaru a twisted smile out from underneath her long bangs as she recovered and spat the taste of vomit out of her mouth.

Nara stood motionless, he had warned her what he would do if he thought she was being serious with threats against his family and he would have acted had she not changed her tone and kept talking.

"So why haven't I yet?" The question was for her self though she said it allowed in a quiet tone. "I don't fucking get it!?" She cried while sitting on the floor on all fours.

"_How troublesome…she's more messed up then I thought." _Shikamaru signed.

"Beats me…get some rest sound girl." Shikamaru hastily exited the room to escape female retribution from a very mentally unsteadily Sound Kunoichi.

"…Useless Leaf shit." A twisted smile formed as she was partially amused she actually expected him to comfort her…or at least feed her some lies to make her feel better or sway her to trust in the Leaf yet he choose to do neither.

Shikamaru entered his room and closed the door behind him then listened for Tayuya's door to do the same, it took a few minutes but she eventually gathered her wits and went back to bed.

"Damn troublesome woman…" Nara exhaled deeply. "Maybe you just like being around people who actually give a damn about you…what a drag it had to be us though." A few minutes later he was fast asleep and unknown to him Tayuya had placed her ear to the wall to make sure he was asleep but kept her head against the wall when she over heard him unknowingly giving her the answer he had kept to himself in the bathroom.

"…Is that why I haven't thrown my life away yet? Do I…want to live…here?" The young flutist rested her head against the soft pillow.

"_If they dare toy with me…I will kill them all!"_

* * *

**_A/N: I am REALLY sorry for the wait for those who waited, i blame persona 3 and the reactivation of my laptop(guild wars account) for keeping me from writting XD. To adress afew questions:_**

**_Q 1)Will Shikamaru and Tayuya have sex._**

**_A)Simply i havent decided yet and i am leaving it at that for now._**

**_Q 2) Will they become closer in coming chapters?_**

**_A)Yes but as i have said, to breech icy walls of hate takes time so dont exspect an over night 180, if anything i feel as if i have rushed their relationship with this last chapter._**

**_Q 3 ) What the hell took so long for this update?!_**

A) I have been busy with work, persona 3 and guildwars, i also have been busy with ideas for 2 other Tayuya related fanfics and one naruto related one so my thought process is split between cursed death, crimson skulls(working title for now) and two other Tayuya based fanfics concepts.

The Reviwer NotSoAnonymouse asked me three very good questions id like to give feedback on.

One being if i was going to work Orochimaru being killed into my story, and the answer is this ahem I pretty much intend to have this story to follow along the current timeline with minnor ajustments. Afew ajustments being Tayuya surviving, the activitys of the two OC characters Kuroshi and Kamui(who i have given ALOT of downtime too since i no longer wish them to be a driving part of the story HOWEVER...i still have my uses for them as you the readers will soon see...i regret making them a big part of the story early on but i will tie up all lose ends come story end. So in short now, i have allready answered this question indirectly .

Question two and three are if Tsunade will help Tayuya with her curse seal and if the crap load of remaining Sake will play into later chapters. My responce to Tsunade helping tayuya is this,...it will be covered in the next chapter. Tsunade can not afford to let orochimaru have any direct control over Tayuya "by any means nessisary". And will the sake play into later chapters? Why yes it will, Tayuya is no stranger to alcohol as i have stated she witnessed her father as an 'angry drunk' so she IS aware of what abuse of it can do, however as tayuya would say "I fucking need it you damn worthless shit!" I felt i portrayed depression leading to substance abuse rather well in that last chapter so i am glad i got SOME feedback about it in a review.


	10. The choice given, the answer unspoken

_AC/ I'm alive XD, though some dont wish it . Anyway here it is the LONG overdue and long awaited chap 10. I HAD to make it this long if only for the fact i havent written anything in like...4 months or so. Cant say when the next will be but it WILL be shorter then this one. As for my absense i blame the holiday rush and work. Besides that i have had alot of game dreams come true And so with out further delay or BS XD...i give you chap ten though i rushed the edit on it and need to rework certain segments as i go. On another note i had alot of fun doing Ino's lines, more fun then i originally thought so do not be surprised if you see her in the story or even play a bigger role. jIf theres any sections that REALLY need to be looked at or redone please please let me know, as big as this chapter is i STILL was unable to squeeze in everything i had orginally intended._

* * *

Eight in the morning, nothing was special about that in it self but this was the time that was chosen for Tayuya to see the Hokage about her Curse seal and how Orochimaru's outside influence could be prevented before he could twist her to his sick twisted will. The only problem was Tayuya was still asleep and somebody needed to wake her up and after last night Shikamaru wasn't up to the task.

"Come on Shikamaru just wake her up." Demanded Shikaku in an annoyed voice.

"Hey if its that simple why don't you wake her?" Added the younger Nara with a hint of disobedience in his tone.

"Well she already hates you doesn't she Shikamaru so whats the harm, I'm still neutral after all and id like to keep it that way."

"What a pain." Was the younger Nara's only reply as he moved closer to the door.

They had tried knocking on the door, calling out to her only to be replied with grunts and groans along with indecipherable curses.

"Quit being a pain Sound girl just get out of bed already."

"Nnnnghh" Was the only reply Tayuya could give.

"We have to leave to see the Hokage now." Announced a muffled voice behind the door to her room.

"...let the bitch wait my head is fucking killing me." Tayuya responded extremely groggy.

"...I blame you for this dad." The younger Nara said while giving a glare to his father who just happened to be looking the other way whistling.

"I know you got a headache so just walk it off or something, if we make her wait she is gonna make our lives twice as bad."

"_Twice as bad?!__ L__iving with your fucking ass in this shitty village is as bad as it can get." _Tayuya thought while turning over away from them to escape back into blissful slumber.

"...Give me five minutes rat."

Shikaku and Shikamaru backed off and left the room to give the ex-Sound nin her time.

"If your not ready in five minutes we will have to use our shadow imitation technique to force you to get out of bed." Nara announced much to the surprise of his father.

"We?" Shikaku asked.

"Its a drag but if I have to go down with her I will take you with me," giving his father a small smirk.

Tayuya frowned under her covers, she knew that the prick had the balls to go through with such a statement, after seeing her so low last night how couldn't he. Staying in bed and acting like a child who didn't want to go to their first day of school... Tayuya hadn't even realized how this made her look to them, it simply wasn't in her nature because if she wanted to be defiant _this wasn't_ how she would go about it.

Not even a full minute after Shikamaru closed her door it reopened with a rather pissed off Tayuya standing before the two men clothed in jean shorts and a white t-shirt.

"Lets get this shit over with already!." With that she passed by them and made her way to the bathroom to properly present herself by freshening up in front of the mirror.

Outside the bathroom, both Nara's waited impatiently, both fully aware at just _how long_ a woman can take to get ready for an important arrangement.

"Women, ehh dad?" Shikamaru joked lightly only to hear a suppressed chuckle from his father as a reply.

"Lets get the hell over there already!" Tayuya interrupted their bonding moment as she burst through the door nearly slamming it into the two Naras' faces and made her way down the stairs.

"Yeah Shikamaru...women," Shikaku said smiling as he scratched the back of his head and followed after her before she _forgot_ that there were armed sentries just waiting for her to try and leave the house unsupervised.

On the other side of town, Iruka was busy with his own troubles due to his new students.

"I know its your first day in school for the both of you but attacking other students with books isn't tolerated!" Iruka scolded the short hooded figure and the tall gray vested one back and forth.

"But they initiated war with us with those spit balls, isn't it customary to retaliate when you are under fire from hostile sources?" Kuroshi dictated almost as if citing terminology from an invisible dictionary.

"Well yes I suppose it is under those circumstance... HEY WAIT!, this is a school not a battlefield so such actions are in violation of academy rules!" Iruka slapped both hands flat on his pedestal while almost being embarrassed they tricked him with such formal dictation of rules of engagement.

"Well I suppose we will have to retaliate during hands on training now wont we brother?" keeping his eyes dead center on the three children who assaulted both him and Kamui with small wads of paper and spit.

They gulped upon seeing the mischievous intent in both the shorter one and taller ones eyes. To them teasing the new kids was a natural thing and given the fact they were in a class full of seven year olds and that one of the new students looked to be seventeen and the other was a weirdly dressed quiet freak they could not help but instigate them in front of the entire class from small taunting to physical acts like throwing paper. How were they suppose to know that the taller one had the sick humor to chuck a three pound book dead center into their group leaders head the moment the teacher looked away. Such an action was met with great surprise.

"They're crazy I tell you!" one child added quietly to the other.

"I hear they were kept back because they were locked up in Ibiki's cell for seven years!" another added a little louder.

"No way!"

"Way! My dad is a chunnin who works under the Hokage her self and he says that they were with those Oto guys who attacked our village awhile back," the leader of the three children announced to his flunkies.

"Then they deserve to be made to feel like crap, I just wished that tall one wasn't such a good shot with projectiles," another child added from behind their row.

"We will get them at lunch, lets show those Oto supporting scum what it means to face future genin of Konoha!" their leader announced rather loudly to the class.

"You children up there cut the chatter, I am holding you all responsible for this matter as well!" Iruka shot them down causing them to retreat quietly into their seats and glare at the two students.

The students immediately shrunk to their seats at their sensei's voice and glare hatefully at the two transfer students who only smirked with their backs turned to them.

Meanwhile both Nara males accompanied by Tayuya had finally reached the doors to Tsunade's office within the Hokage Tower despite all the awkward stares they received along the way that Tayuya mostly ignored as being murmurs of the insignificant roaches.

As soon as they had knocked on the door the group heard a soft spoken womans voice called out from with in to enter.

Tsunade sat busy with paper work as Shizune bowed and greeted them warmly which surprised Tayuya seeing as how the woman was an advisory of the Hokage while herself was a prisoner of sorts.

"I'm so glad you all could make it today!" Shizune chimed in with happy enthusiasm while her Sensei merely looked over the stack of paper work and gave them a nod before rising from her seat.

"You know why you were summoned here right?" Tsunade asked in a husky voice.

"...Not really." The flutist responded semi truthfully since she didn't actually know but had a good idea why.

"To go over the business of that curse mark branded on you by Orochimaru." Tsunade said flatly.

"What about it?" Giving the Hokage a snarl.

"Shikaku here has informed me about it's circumstances and quite frankly your a threat to this villages safety more so then before if you are left as you are." Tsunade announced bluntly causing Tayuya to rise from here seat in anger.

"So?!, what the fuck are you gonna do about it?!" Tayuya roared until a hand calmly rested on her shoulder causing her to twist around to see Shikaku shake his head to her to calm down and wait.

"Honestly I could do nothing about it and let you suffer from it in a cell or kill you right now as an execution...however I have no such intentions." Tsunade boasted.

Tayuya sat angrily in her seat practically foaming at the mouth impatiently waiting for the Hokage to get to the point before she snaps and kills her.

"In short you have proved to be an asset to the village and I believe I have come to a conclusion as to how we can lessen or remove Orochimaru's direct control over you but for right now we need to wait till my massager brings back that fool Jaraiya so he can see what can be done." The Hokage announced with a confident smugness.

"...And how long will _that _take?" Asked the young kunoichi with bitter sarcasm.

"If I know that old pervert he will go there so...with in the week, two at most if there are difficulties."

"...Okay so where does that leave me?" Tayuya asked as calmly as she could.

"I have more questioning so if the Nara family will please leave us be for a few minutes?"

Both Nara's nodded respectfully and left their house guest in the clutches of their Hokage, Shikamaru gave Tayuya one last glance before exiting the room which didn't go unnoticed by Tayuya who only huffed her hair at such a queer jester.

"As you might expect Tayuya I have a lot of questions for you this time so do be honest with me, id hate to ruin our good standing with each other." Tsunade said while giving the ex Sound kunoichi a grin.

"What the hell are they already?!" Tayuya's patience was shot.

"First off I will hear about everything regarding Sasuke as much as you know." Tsunade's face was serious and grim.

"...Fine, Orochimaru-Sama has had his eye on the Uchiha brat since he created Sound as far as I know. He has been watching him since then and saw the chunnin exams as the best time to test his ass and see what he could do and being pleased with the results he apparently gave him the curse mark." Tayuya finished in an annoyed huff.

"Apparently?" The Hokage inquired with perked interest.

"We didn't know he had a curse mark till we confronted his ass the night he decided to leave this village."

"You are referring to the night you and the rest of Orochimaru's elite unite the Sound Four re-infiltrated our village to retrieve Sasuke...you say he decided to leave? On his own with out being forced?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes on the young red haired girl.

"All we were sent to do was persuade him to come with us, yeah we roughed his pretty ass up a little to show him just how weak he was and to show him how much we...benefited from Orochimaru." Saying the last part rather unsure with her self in tone.

"Well your _benefit _is looking more like a draw back to me." Pointing to where the curse mark was located on the side of her neck.

"...I told that shit the draw backs personally, that if he gave into our master he would be nothing more then a puppet devoid of will and a slave in his own body." Tayuya's voice was empty now lacking the anger her normal tone always contained.

"Is that what you all sacrificed your very souls for?, power to be handed to you?"

"Yeah but thats also what that Uchiha shit left your village for in the first place, a power _you all _couldn't ever give him." Tsunade was taken back by Tayuya's harsh words for a moment.

"...What does it mean to be a curse marked individual?" Tsunade avoided the Sasuke issue for now.

Despite the unease at the question Tayuya leaned back into her chair and took a moment to study both the Hokage's and her assistants expressions. As far as she could see the Hokage had a stern yet...sympathetic look about her and her black haired assistant showed more open emotion on the subject, as far as she could see the assistant genuinely cared.

"Receiving a curse mark means many different things, it means were stronger then average shit people. It also means there is a high expectation that we will survive receiving the mark itself else we would die from it outright. It also means we are prime choices for that sicko to use as host should it become necessary as it is with your precious Uchiha clown. On top of that we are his most trusted subordinates because the seals marks allow him to control us so while they greatly increase our ability's it also means he controls our use of them, if we were to disobey we feel pain you could not fathom to believe possible to the point of our deaths." Tayuya retained the empty soulless expression she had before as she spoke almost like a zombie besides the small surfacing of her personality on certain subjects.

"...Has he ever killed anyone with the marks before?" Tsunade asked carefully as to not hit a land mine in the girls mind.

"No, the pain is enough of a subduer that he hasn't needed to kill us to obey him." Tayuya replied simply.

"Does he inflict pain on you with out cause?"

"..."

"Tayuya?" Shizune stepped after seeing Tsunade's reluctance to press the question.

"She should know him better then anyone." Was all Tayuya answered to Shizune as she centered her gaze on the Hokage.

"...Moving on, after your battle with Nara Shikamaru what happened in detail?" Tsunade hastily decided to change topics since the current course was hard for both her and Tayuya to continue on.

"...They left me under the tree's to rot." Answering as coldly as she could as she decided to not mention her death directly.

"And the two that came with you here?"

"...They got me out and healed me, then those pricks went to Sound with me where I was pitted against that very prick who was made the Sound Fours leader...your Uchiha shit hole Sasuke!" The young kunochi yelled venomously at the mentioning of his name.

"They aided your escape correct?"

"...Yes for what ever reason." Tayuya turned her head away at the thought of anyone risking their own lives without a personal gain involved.

"I'm aware of the charade you three pulled over on Orochimaru and the Sound, faking your own death and using us as a diversion while you escaped." Tsunade pressed the point with added enthusiasm while she gave Tayuya a smug smile and a cross of her arms under her massive chest.

"...Yeah what about it?, it gave you a shot at Orochimaru and Sasuke didn't it or are you pissed because your asses failed?" Raising her voice defensively.

"Ohh we appreciated the _shot_ at them which is one of the main reasons why your not on an execution list and your continued cooperation keeps you out of a cell, as for the other two how much do you know about them?"

"What do they fucking matter?" Tayuya became annoyed the subject changed to them when she was the important one.

"Answer the question." Tsunade insisted firmly.

"...Not fucking much, the little one smiles so much I don't think his ass has a central nervous system and the taller one acts like a god damed retard half the time!"

"How about their names or background Tayuya?" Shizune interrupted seeing Tayuya's reluctance to acknowledge even their names.

"Small one's ass is Kamui and the tall one's ass is Kuroshi and they said their useless village was destroyed...thats all I know alright?!" Letting her anger get the better of her.

"They said as much, are you aware that it was Orochimaru who destroyed the Hidden Village in the Dusk?" The Hokage's voice was neutral on the subject so that she could best gage Tayuya's response.

"Wait what?!, you mean those shits followed me to our base full knowing who my master was?!" The flutist cursed to herself loudly at the revelation that she was possible used as a way to get close to their enemy.

"So they choose not to tell you then?" Tsunade added with a nod.

"_Those lousy fuckers!, they set me up?!, they used ME!?" Tayuya swore loudly inside her own head while physically bitting her lip in anger._

"_By now it should be apparent to you that our being informed about the Sounds base was their idea and not yours so using that as your bargaining leverage isn't going to work." Tsunade announced to Tayuya as clearly as she could._

Shizune was shocked by this news, almost as much as Tayuya was.

"...So now what? My diminutive life with those damn Nara's is over and I'm placed in a cell from now on?" Tayuya asked drolly already knowing the answer.

"I don't see a need for that Tayuya now do you Shizune?" Turning her head smugly to her assistant with a grin.

"O-of course not Tsunade-sama!" Shizune practically stammered over to Tayuya in her defense.

"...Why?"

"_Naruto-kun pleaded for you to have a fair chance not just because he is a nice guy, he has a good eye for seeing the potential of good that is hidden deep inside people and I would be a fool to ignore him now after seeing how you have progressed over the past few days." Tsunade tried her best to hold in a laugh at the image of Naruto standing before her saying "I was right, Believe it!" followed by his wide goofy grin and his custom thumbs up._

"...Ohh." Was Tayuya's only reply.

"I believe thats enough questions for the time being, I do have one further topic to cover at the time though." Tsunade's voice became serious once again.

"Yeah? What the hell is it?" Her voice lacked hostility though and sounded more confused then angry.

"When we first seen you it was reported that you were injured by Kamui correct?"

"Yeah that little fucker messed with my chakra network and paralyzed me!" The anger returned to her voice as she remembered back to him standing over her nudging her with his foot asking if she ever shuts up.

"For what ever reasons you have choose not to have your injury checked on and for safety reasons...we waited this long to mention it but would you like me to take a look at your injury?" Tsunade let her concern for peoples well being over take her once again.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune added in surprised glee along with a wide smile.

"...Your gonna have to since I obviously cant trust those fuckers to fix me up any more." Turning her head remembering their silent betrayal.

"_Fix you up?" Tsunade thought to her self for a moment._

"Alright then, please come back around three in the after noon." Letting a small smile breech her lips at seeing Tayuya's small nod of acceptance. "Good then, you may leave now Tayuya...Shizune please accompany her in the hallway while I talk to the Nara's in privet.

_Shizune nodded and proceeded to accompany Tayuya out of the office while the flutist suspected things to get worst since it was a privet meeting about her between them._

The moment both Nara's entered the doors they gave their Hokage a bow before standing in full attention, Shikamaru less then his father though.

"So...whats your take on Tayuya's progress?" Tsunade asked as cautiously as she could to one in specific.

"If I may Hokage-Sama I think she has progressed rather well however Yoshino is a better person to ask since she has spent more time with her." Replied Shikaku honestly while standing attentive.

"And you Shikamaru?"

"Troublesome.." The younger Nara replied while scratching behind his pony tail.

"And whys that? Because theirs still tension between you two regarding your battle?"

"That and she is just so unstable, its a real drag trying to know where you stand with the girl because one moment she is busy spitting impurity's in heated rage and the next she is depressed...man women are so complicated some times." It didn't take for Shikamaru to remember that the Hokage was one of those unpredictable women and that she was practically busting a blood vain over his comment.

"I-is that right Shikamaru?" Tsunade had to grit her teeth to hold back the outburst that was boiling inside her.

"What my son means is she is torn between the two constantly and it can not be healthy for her." Shikaku hastily butted in to save his son from the fire.

"Is that right?, well it was my intention for that to happen in the first place but I understand now that the stress combined with her nature and emotional instability makes things far to flamboyant and we do not need her snapping and going out of control like before or else we will have no choice but to scrap the mission and execute her on the spot."

"That seems a bit troublesome don't you think Hokage-Sama?, I mean we don't have to go so far as to kill her do we?" Shikamaru suddenly pleaded at the thought of ending her life after all the effort they put into salvaging her from Orochimaru's clutches.

"Awfully sympathetic for the troublesome enemy arnt we Shikamaru?" Smiling widely at his sudden show of concern.

"It's just a waste is all, seems to troublesome to back out at this point." Nara defended himself as best he could.

"_You are right though, we have taken an enemy nin into our village and have tried to free her from that snakes grasp in hopes that she will help us and I can honestly say all the crap and paper work has been worth it...take a look at this!" The Hokage grinned as she held a scroll in front of both Nara's as they looked blankly at it."This here is an acceptance for a joint mission between us and Suna to raid and destroy all of Orochimaru's Sound bases, because of that little red haired brat we are one step closer to wiping that snake bastard off the face of the planet!" _

Both Nara's were speechless at the statement that Suna a hostile country that joined forces with Orochimaru to wipe them out was now fighting along side them to wipe out their former ally.

"If that fool Jiraiya gets back in time and is able to pacify Orochimaru's control on the girl I want both you and her to lead the assault against the first base along side Suna's Representative!"

Deciding not to stat the obvious reasons why he and Tayuya wouldn't work along side each other never mind the hostility Tayuya had for Suna for helping betray them and aiding Konoha in the Sound Fours utter defeat, something that she her self felt first hand he decided to press the more ominous question first.

"And just who is their representative?" Shikamaru asked weakly already knowing any of the candidates would spell doom for him and Tayuya.

"Your old friend Temari from the chunin exams, she was more then willing to step in to see to friendly terms between our two nations."

Shikamaru sweat dropped right then and there at the very thought of himself, the Sound Demon and that troublesome woman trying to not kill each other the moment they met.

"With all due respect Hokage-Sama...that Sound girl probably hates the Suna woman more then she hates me, if they meet the mission will fail before it starts."

"I am well aware of the volatile relationship between you three but if our two nations are to be at peace and join together to defeat Sound it is imperative that we get them to go one day with out attempting to kill each other however I do not think the Suna girl will risk our nations standings with each other over an unfinished fight." Nodding to her self confidently.

"Tayuya would..." Shikamaru spoke annoyed at the thought.

"See that she doesn't and besides Shikamaru the mission isn't going to begin for a few weeks so we will have ample time to drill it into the brats head that if she screws this up...well you understand the consequences, you will have terminate on sight orders are we clear?"

Shikamaru gave no verbal response because he knew full well he couldn't kill her out right, even in their fight he avoided lethal force even when his own life was at risk.

"Are we clear Nara Shikamaru?" Tsunade's booming voice knocked Shikamaru out of his thoughts.

"...Yes were clear Hokage-Sama." Shikamaru responded emptily.

"Shikamaru are you sure you can do that?" Asked his father concerned since he knew his son didn't have it in him.

"It's okay dad, it wont come to that." The younger Nara responded confidently.

"Good to hear Shikamaru, you both are dismissed and thank you for your time today."

"Hai Hokage-Sama!" Both Nara's replied while bowing before turning to exit the room.

Down the hall Shikamaru could see Shizune talking to the ex-Sound nin with an over enthusiastic tone with Tayuya nodding near lifelessly to all the positive encouraging things that flew out of the healers mouth. It didn't take long for the flutist to notice the two Nara's entering the hall since she was looking

for any distraction to free her from the pointless dribble the Hokage's assistant was spewing out about accepting this new life as a second chance as well as a chance to find peace and happiness but Tayuya already knew there was no such thing for anyone in the world never mind this village with all the fake smiles and back stabbing gossipers who turned and talked to the closest person next to them at the smallest things they found distasteful.

"Hey rat boy how did it go?" Tayuya immediately broke eye contact with Shizune and waited for his reply.

"We need to talk Tayuya." Nara's cold serious voice shook her for a moment but she soon recovered from his statement.

"...Fine, when?"

"While we walk home, hey dad can you head on with out us?" Taking a quick glance at his father who already knew the situation.

"Sure thing Shikamaru, I have errands I have to run for your mother anyway so doing them now will get her off our backs for the day." Adding a quick chuckle after his statement.

With that exchange of worth both parties went their separate ways while Shizune looked on in concern at the poor girls situation.

The sun was high in the sky now as afternoon quickly approached as both teens silently marched through the village of Konoha as Shikamaru constantly was trying to decide the best time to tell Tayuya about the up coming mission but one glance at her brooding demeanor told him otherwise. It wasn't until he noticed she stopped following him that he realized she had already decided.

"Spill it all ready chicken shit I haven't got all day to wait for bad news!." Tayuya erupted randomly near a small children's playground that she had stopped following at.

"Do you have to be so loud?" Shikamaru didn't wait for her heated barrage of curses this time and continued to speak. "I need to inform you about an up coming mission okay so it'd be troublesome if you interrupted me while I'm trying too got it?" She nodded but not without giving him an angry sneer.

"Because of the information you gave the Hokage both Suna and Konoha are going to make a co-op against a Sound base, further more they want you and me to lead the Leaf based Ninja force along side Sands force." He then stopped to see what she had to bitch about so far on the subject.

"Ohh so those Sand fags are teaming up with yous once again how nice, its just like them to shove their head up the ass of the ones pulling the shots just don't be surprised if they betray you like they betrayed us." Tayuya had a contorted smile on her face on the subject.

"Like I said, if the Hokage's plan is a success and they prevent Orochimaru from controlling you then you are going to be aiding them with me." Nara exhaled deeply as she hadn't even realized this concerned her even after he just told her.

"She must be on something if she thinks I'm gonna fucking aid them!?, or have you forgotten that suna bitch blind sided me and left me under a pile of timber to rot and not to fucking mention her retarded family helped kill my comrades!" Tayuya practically coughed on the saliva she was yelling out of her throat.

"Troublesome, I knew she was gonna respond like this." Shikamaru thought to himself with a groan.

"Look I understand you being pissed and whatever and I'm not asking you to forgive and forget but you need to let it go just for that mission understand?" Shikamaru literally had to force himself to try and sound reasonable.

"And if I don't?!" She taunted with a loud voice as she just waited to hear the threats the Hokage had thought of that he'd say.

"If you refuse to aid in the mission to begin with that I don't know but if you interfere or try to betray us we are issued kill on sight orders." Shikamaru's voice was empty of emotion not that he felt nothing about the subject of killing her but felt nothing for the orders he was forced to comply with.

Tayuya was silent though she expected as much since she was still classified as a high leveled security risk and high ranked enemy ninja of a village that was at war with them.

"That means your at the top of the list of scum too carry those orders out right Nara?" Tayuya crossed her arms while she glared at him waiting for a reply.

"Troublesome as it is yeah because I'm suppose to be watching you and keeping you in check I am the one who has to take action the moment you become a liability." Nara sighed heavily at the responsibility he was carrying on his back.

"You up to it prick?, think you can beat me in another fight just cause I had to spend a week getting weak in this shithole?" Tayuya scoffed at him at the very thought of him killing her.

"Actually I'd rather not which is why I choose to tell you this now because I don't want it to come to that." Keeping his voice as neutral sounding as he possibly could.

"So you choose to tell me this shit instead waiting till the last minute like the lazy prick you are?" Raising a suspicious brow at him.

"Pretty much..."

"Why the fuck do you care Nara?"

"After having to deal with you as long as I have it'd be a real drag if you just throw it all away over a grudge."

"Its my fucking life shithead so its my choice how and why I throw it away so don't try and give me that high and mighty shit you scum!" Tayuya thrashed her arms at Shikamaru who in his lazy comfort let down his guard around her which only raised her ire.

"Yeah I know it is but still orders are orders so try and follow them or don't participate in the mission at all." Letting a loud huff of annoyance at the fact he still needed to explain it to her again.

Before their arguing could further escalate a loud yelling got their concentration off in the distance.

"Oi Shikamaru there you are!" A blond headed girl yelled while waving her hand ferociously at him as she ran.

Shikamaru only stared at his teammate Ino as she made her way down the street to where he and Tayuya were standing in front of the park.

"_Are you kidding me?...man what a drag, of all the places to bump into her it has to be now while this prisoner is with me." Naras face literally fell in thought._

"Who's this bitch?" Asked Tayuya in an annoyed tone.

"My teammate Ino, look she doesn't know about you and id like to keep it that way if its not too troublesome for you?" Nara gave Tayuya one last dirty look before turning to Ino who was just about to be upon them while Tayuya only grunted and lowered her head to cover the main view of her face with her long hair.

"Hey there Ino...no training with Asuma sensei today?" Shikamaru asked weakly trying to divert his teammates attention from the girl standing next to him.

"Don t give me that Shikamaru!, who is she?!, is she your girlfriend?!, how the hell can you find time to have a girlfriend when you should be training and checking how everyone is doing in the hospital!?" Her questions bombarded her chunnin teammate without end leaving him just to hold his forehead to lessen the verbal abuse his ears were taking.

"I'm not his girlfriend you damned bimbo!" Roared the ex Sound nin much to both their surprise.

"Well then who the heck are you? And who are you to call me a bimbo?!" Ino roared while pointing a finger at the unamused red head who to her own respect was containing the urge to pummel the broad to the ground.

"Ino its a long complicated story okay and I didn't want to involve any of yous in this troublesome affair if it could be helped but the thing is this...girl.. (hesitating at the thought of adding an unnecessary insult) Shikamaru began explaining rather irritated and regrettably.

"I am a friend of his family and they are gonna be taking care of me since my family are all dead." Tayuya finished his explanation before he could expose her unnecessarily.

Both team mates remained silent after the explanation as they looked at the red head with gazing eyes as they both studied her face to see if what she said was true. In Shikamaru's case technically what she said wasn't a lie at all since the girls family were dead to the best of his knowledge and his family was taking care of her regardless of her prisoner standing. In Ino's case the girl had no apparent outlook that she was lying since the red head had a somber look as if looking back at her lose.

"I'm really sorry to hear that, I didn't know the Nara's were looking after you, this blockhead doesn't tell me anything!" Adding a quick elbow to Shika's ribs.

The young genius only rubbed his ribs as he gave his team mate an irritated glare then looked back to Tayuya and gave a _slight nod_ at her resourcefulness to which if she had noticed didn't give a reply since she was still deep in thought.

"Well Shikamaru arnt you going to introduce us already?!" The blond demanded seeing as how she didn't want to press the question to the girl since she felt slightly sorry for yelling and accusing her of things when she had no right to.

"Yeah yeah...Ino this is Tayuya a...friend of my family's and Tayuya...this is Ino a member of the same squad I am in." The awkwardness enveloped his speech so much that both girls stared at him momentarily but both dismissed it as him being too lazy to bother to form sentences right.

"I don't remember you from that retrieval squad." Tayuya added bluntly since she knew there wasn't a blond bimbo skipping through the woods in his all boy brigade.

"Retrieval squad?...OHH you mean the one sent out to take back my Sasuke-kun from those filthy Sound bastards that Shikamaru lead? And hey why didn't you ask me your squad leader to join to come take Sasuke-kun back as well HUH Shikamaru?!" Raising her voice as much as she possibly could.

It was lucky that Ino had turned around to stare at her teammate with her bombardment of questions because if Ino could see that glare of killer intent that the young Nara was looking at past Ino's head coming from Tayuya that moment there would have been spilled blood.

"Ehh Ino the Hokage has all been over that Sasuke left on his own free will to join Sound, he wasn't captured like we thought." Shikamaru's explanation was directed towards Tayuya more at his comrade to cool the red heads temper. To his surprise the ex-Sound Kunochi merely turned her head away and spat at the ground deciding not to antagonist a confrontation with his teammate after being called a 'Filthy Sound bastard'.

"I know she said that and I heard Sakura and Naruto tell me and you told me too but I cant believe that my Sasuke-kun would up and leave us like this to join our enemy." Ino's tone was genuinely confused and saddened which made both her and Shikamaru lower their heads since neither one knew what to say or more accurately Shikamaru knew the truth would be to much for her to accept.

"Pathetic." Tayuya hissed in a low tone to her self as she watched them.

"So Ino what are you here?, you said you were looking for me earlier didn't you?" Shikamaru forced himself to get to the point of her visit so he and his house 'guest' could leave before further incident.

"Ohh right well I came to look for you to ask if you wanted to come with me to see Chouji and the rest of them in the hospital and since your guest Tayuya is here I guess its okay if she comes along too if she wants." Saying that last bit roughly since she still didn't like the idea of any girl being around Shikamaru...not that she liked him or anything herself.

Both Shikamaru and Tayuya stared blankly at each other already knowing that her in a hospital filled with injured nins(many of which were put there via Sound related incidents) was NOT a good idea.

"Sorry Ino but I cant make it just now, my bossy mom has been nagging me to show this err Tayuya around so she will better know the town so I don't have to drag her all over the place every time." Needless to say Shikamaru's explanation sounded much more of an irritating annoyance then a cleaver lie.

"Well...if thats the case I will show you around Konoha myself as we save time and go to the hospital!" Both Shikamaru and Tayuya stared at her blatant cheery face as she finished with a smile.

"_Damn it Ino stop persisting and take a hint already." The young Nara practically groaned in his head as he rubbed his forehead to her offer._

"Sure thing but mind if we go cloths shopping first?, this prick would rather have me wear his cloths then take me to get my own." Tayuya lied half heartedly as she worked this annoying blond bimbo's presence to her own advantage.

"Huh? Wait your not serious are you?" Shikamaru tried to interject as he was unable to see what possible positive outcome there was to her going with them to meet members of his squad that her squad injured...it confounded his mind to know end.

"No problem Tayuya we can pick out some new cloths for you and I hear you on Shikamaru here being a lousy choice to go cloths shopping with I mean can you believe we went bikini shopping once and he didn't even compliment ME on my stunning heavenly figure?! I swear Shikamaru your as dense as that Naruto but at least he has an excuse since he is all ways ga-ga over that billboard brow since birth and cant even notice my beauty!"

...Her rant went on for minutes with out end in sight which was lucky for Ino since she was so caught up in herself she didn't notice the rolling eyes of both her irritated comrade and the annoyed red head who possibly were both thinking the same thing.

"_Enough all ready Ino..."_

"_Shut the fuck up bitch!"_

"_And you simply must see my family's flower shop which is the gorgeous in town just like myself!" Ino finally finished to check both thoughts about her tour only to see Shikamaru had drowned her out and the new girl had an irritated scowl which quickly was replaced as the two girls made eye contact with a cheery smile that kinda gave her the creeps._

"Sounds like a plan." Tayuya nodded while forcing that same smile then quickly dropped it like a horrid mask she wished to throw away the second the blond haired girl looked away to Shikamaru.

"Hear that lazy pants were going shopping!" Pointing a well manicured finger point blank in his face to press the point.

"Tch fine Ino you win, were going shopping." Looking to Tayuya with a scowl as to what her plan was.

"Then were all agreed!, so what kind of cloths would you like to look for first because I know this great shop down by the market district that has the most magnificent assortment of womens ware in the whole town as you can plainly tell by looking at my clothing which I purchased there and not for a little penny I might add."

"So you payed a lot to look so ridiculous?, you stupid bitch." Tayuya commented just low enough so that only Shikamaru who was standing directly beside her could hear which made him choke on his very breath at the comment.

"There some thing wrong Shikamaru huh?! You think I DONT look good?! Is that what your trying to say?!" Ino had stomped her way to his face and stared him down for insulting her and trying to look cool in front of a girl.

"No thats not it...I just got dust caught in my throat thats all." He had to stop the urge to point out the Sound girls obvious insult to get him self out of trouble but decided not to as involving her would only make things far worst then his mind could calculate.

"It had better be!, so Tayuya where did you want to shop again?" Turning over to the red head and beaming that wide sincere smile again.

"A hat shop." She said bluntly.

Both Konoha nins just stared at her in silence for a moment at her odd choice.

"...If you say so, though we really should do something about those horrid jeans your wearing after." Ino had turned and started walking out of earshot to the closest hat shop and had missed the not so silent "Bitch!" comment that force its way out of the Sound girls lips.

Else where in the Konoha academy lunch time had arrived and the classes were momentarily dismissed.

Four mini genin wannabes crowded them selfs in the same tree that had a swing connected to a branch as they over looked their targets with mischievous intent.

"On the count of five men we let out our stink bomb shrurikens and make them smell worst then the Inuzuka clan on a rainy day!" Their leader boasted villainously.

"But Monzo what if we get caught, who knows what Iruka will do to us!" One of the small boys nestled close to his leader spoke carefully so no others could hear him.

"Quit being a wuss Ibasi that Iruka wont know it was us if we use our stealth and even if we do get caught he will have to admit we were skilled enough to pull off such a cool attack strategy." Their leader Monzo spoke aloud quelling their now growing fears of failure and punishment.

"Nahhh you plans pretty dumb if you ask me." A disembodied voice spoke clearly to the group.

All four boys swung their heads wildly around in search of their eavesdropper but didn't have long to wait as a head swung its way down to show their gray spiky haired nemesis dangling upside down from a tree branch directly above them.

"W-w-w-what the hell are you doing h-here,Your d-down there with the other freak!" Monzo stammered while his three brave men had trails of snot running out of their noes at being found out by the enemy.

Kuroshi looked down at himself standing next to his brother as they both munched on food provided by the academy staff prior to their dismissal.

"Haven't you ever heard of shadow clones before?, honestly don't they teach you anything?!" He suddenly roared further scaring the children while gathering the attentions of the nearby students to the rustling tree.

"Apparently not it seems." A voice behind them spoke with displeased anger.

"I-iruka sensei!" All four boys stuttered in surprised to see their teacher sitting cross legged behind them.

"You four trouble makers are in deep trouble this time because I caught you in the act of clear assault thanks to those two students informing me of you childish plans." Iruka shook his head controlling his anger then looked too the four children who had twin trails of tears and mucus running down their faces.

"Get out of here and don't let me catch any of you attempting such deeds again or I will personally have you expelled from the academy and none of you will ever have the privilege of becoming shinobi's of the Leaf!" And with his decree all four boys ran from the tree ignoring the stares and taunts their fellow classmates were giving them as they ran to find a place to cry.

Once the ruckus died down Iruka looked to the gray haired pupil and grinned before using his hands to make the hand signs to break his henge revealing another Kuroshi who only joined in on the laughter of the supposed original.

Else where seven miles outside of Iwa's territory the remnants of a small battle of bandits were running away from a failed raid.

"Geez Naruto this is the kind of stuff I was telling you about!" Jiraiya shouted to his pupil only to see him lightly kick one of the bandits as he tried to grip the young ninja in a failed attempt.

"Well these guys are nothing compared to the great Uzumaki Naruto and the perverted toad sage hermit of the mountains!" Naruto boasted to himself as he remembered the bandits freighted expressions as his teachers identity was revealed to said bandits causing mass fear at the mere mention of his name.

"Yeah well Naruto there are far worst nin out here then these petty ignorant fools and from the looks of it theres still one brave one left to deal with coming this way." Remarked the hermit as he readied himself for the fast moving person who was at break neck speed running towards their position.

"Hey wait is that...yeah it is!, hey ero sensei I know that guy he is a friend of mine!" Naruto practically jumped to meet the very person he helped before Sasuke's defection into Sound.

"Idate hey Idate over here!" Shouting and jumping around as if he was crowded in the middle of a busy city when it was just one brightly orange kid and easy to spot old man standing among seven fallen bandits in the middle of nowhere.

"Yeah yeah I hear ya Naruto." Stopping his mad dash running just enough to skid by the sensei and student covering them in his dust.

"Yeah...this kids defiantly one of your friends Naruto." Said the Sannin as he waved the dust out of his face and hair.

"I knew when I found you that you would have gotten your self into some kind of trouble but don't you think this is a bit much?" Throwing a thumb back to the beaten and battered men that groaned and relished in their pain.

"Hey its not so bad Idate." Naruto sheepishly grinned while scratching the back of his head. "So what are you doing all the way out here Idate?, on another mission?" The young jinjurican continued since it was strange to see his so far from his new home.

"Actually yeah and my mission is you(pointing blankly to Naruto's surprised face) and you." Re pointing to the toad sage who only raised an eyebrow.

"I can understand coming to see Naruto here being the knucklehead he is but why are you here to see me?" Questioned the toad sage a little suspicious of the circumstances.

"This note I was given by your Hokage will explain everything I suppose." Idate quickly took a light brown envelope out from his belt pocket and handed it over to the sannin who carefully examined it before opening it.

The young blonds enthusiasm had gotten the better of him as he jumped around his teacher asking the same questions over and over again.

"Whats it say ero sensei?!, is it about me?!, another mission?!, did they find Sasuke?!" Each sounding more annoying to the toad sages ears then the last.

"Naruto!" Jiraiya shouted quieting his pupil for a moment. "Apparently were gonna have to put your training on hold for awhile.

"What?!, why in the hell do we have to do that...what did that old hag of a wannabe Hokage say!" He roared not even noticing Idate shaking his head in disappointment of his savior.

"Well if I am reading this right that 'old hag' Tsunade wants us to return to the village for two separate missions because apparently that girlfriend of yours was far more cooperative then she could have imagined." After his explanation Jiraiya looked to Naruto who had a dense confused look on his face.

"...Sa...ku...ra...?" The young blond spoke carefully not sure if thats who he meant but clearly wasn't after seeing his master deadpanned expression at the statement.

"That Sound girl Naruto the Sound girl that you bugged me about for like two hours about when we first started on our trip!" Jiraiya was trying as best he could to contain his anger giving his students natural density.

"She is NOT my girlfriend ero sensei!, thats just gross and wrong!" Uzumaki protested wildly shaking his head at the mere thought.

"Regardless we are being recalled so that I can use my immense knowledge of Seals to try and block Orochimaru's influence over her Curse mark." Raising one finger to his face as if deducting a big mystery.

"Whoa wait she has a curse mark like Sasuke does?!" Honestly astonished by the revelation.

"Don't you know anything Naruto?! All five of those guys you fought in that mission all had curse marks like Sasukes so having this chance to examine one of them on a hot live body is going to be great for our research!" Jiraiyas cheeks turning a light shade of pink as he grinned.

"What do you mean hot body and what the hell do you mean 'our' research?!" Naruto protested pointing an insinuating finger at his teacher.

"Hot body as in hers and 'our research' as in both study of the curse marks employed by Orochimaru and my own research of that hot body of hers!" Again grinning shamelessly at the thought.

"Who said she was hot?! Because I sure as hell didn't!"

"Well Naruto you did say she was a redhead with long hair, a mean streak and a dirty mouth and in my book thats H-O-T." To further elaborate the Sannin jumped back and forth stretching out his left palm showing five fingers as he danced side to side on said one foot.

"_Hopeless old pervert." Thought Uzumake as he watched his so called teachers display._

"_I never knew our great Sannin's were such great buffoons, he even makes Naruto look normal in comparison." Idate thought as he shook his head at the free circus show he got a front row seat too._

_Back in the market district of Konoha after two hours of pain staking shopping...on Shikamaru's part, Tayuya had finished up her little shopping spree at Nara's exspence both physically and financially. Among the cloths she had purchased were short bycical shorts almost exactly like the ones she owned as a ninja of Sound, a slightly baggy tan shirt with no form of representation on it in any form, two new pairs of tan sandals which Shikamaru only groaned in the shop about aloud how women needed an extra shoe even though the first exact one is fine, two neko like hats which add a few oddly placed rope coming out of them would have been identical to the hat she wore during her fight with Shikamaru and that was a fact he didn't over look._

"_Is she planning on dressing like she did in Sound to get ready and try to escape?" The young genius thought to himself as he eyed her from behind both his house guest from hell and team leader who wasn't to far off from that, packages of clothing._

"Thats everything you wanted right?" Ino forced herself to ask.

"Huh? Yeah I guess so..." Tayuya trailed off into thought. For some reason todays affairs were really unsettling and no matter how much she tried she couldn't pin point the cause.

"You okay Tayuya you look really spaced out?" Ino asked a little more sincerely since the only time she ever saw someone look that much in thought is usually when Sakura is distraught about something concerning Sasuke.

"Yeah I said I'm fine okay shit!" She had snapped suddenly quieting the blond girl in shock as well as grabbing Shikamaru's attention.

"...I'm sorry...I didn't mean it." The red heads voice was soft and halted Ino from becoming her usual self and getting into a cat fight with the stranger.

"Uhhh okay its okay I guess, you must have been through a lot since your family died I guess." Ino tried to reason with the new comers situation as best she could to avoid saying the wrong things.

"...You have no idea." Was the read heads only cryptic reply.

"_I really hate how this troublesome woman can lie like that. Us guys are so much simpler' we just flat out lie but she twists her lies so much around the truth its scary." The young genius thought to himself as he carefully verified her words._

Once the group became silent again they made their way to the Konoha Hospital which was only a ten minute walk from the market district. Once inside Ino had greeted the nurse sitting at the front desk who already expected both her and her teammate to come today since both of them made it a habit to visit everyone who had been hospitalized. Once the three were allowed to visit they made their way to the floor Shikamaru had stopped causing Tayuya and Ino to stop behind him. It wasn't his style to lead a group but for this excursion to go off with out incident he needed to be at point to halt them.

"Chouji's room is just up ahead Tayuya so wait here while me and Ino check on him...i am trusting you remember." His eyes were oddly serious in Ino's view which made her protest.

"What gives Shikamaru why cant she check on Chouji with us?" Slowly her suspicion grew back at how they had been acting since she had run into them.

"Our family's are not on good terms so if he saw me it might agitate him in his critical stat." The Sound nin quickly responded having already expecting this out come.

"Ohhh...okay then I guess, family feuds suck like that. I swear cant our parents see how it messes up their children's lives?" Ino signed at such horrible conditions placed on the younger generations.

"AIII W-what are you doing here!" A startled voice called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Shizune-sama!" Nara shouted back in a startled voice.

"Nara ass and his Teammate Ino came here to see their friend in the hospital, I need to talk to you a moment if thats okay?" Tayuya quickly cut in as formally as she could to save her cover once more.

Dragging The Hokage's assistant away the young kunoichi quickly pacified her by explaining that Ino didn't know who she was in a low turn so Shizune wouldn't blab it with out realizing it. Once Shikamaru and Ino were alone atop the staircase the questions came.

"Whats going on Shikamaru!? Something is defiantly fishy here!" The blond shook her teammate violently by his collar now that they were alone.

"Geez Ino why do you have to be so troublesome, nothing is wrong." Responding in a dull lie.

"Then what was that just now!?" Taking her right hand off his collar to point down the staircase where the two went off too.

"She is probably asking Shizune about her living arrangements...or something. I doubt that troublesome woman likes the idea of having to live next to me." Letting a few groans to his half lie.

"Good point Shikamaru!. No sane woman in their right minds could stand your lazy, good for nothing attitude all day never mind everyday!" Ino ended with laughing in his face at the thought.

"_Well its a good thing that troublesome woman is already insane then." Groaning deeply mentally._

Meanwhile down the stairs before the bickering teammates.

"Aii w-w-why are you here of all places Tayuya-chan?! Exclaimed Shizune as low as she could to the annoyed redhead.

"Geez are you all ways so dense? I said I got dragged here by his bimbo ass teammate so lay off. Besides she is too stupid to realize I am a former Sound ninja."

"Yes not to mention one of the ones who convinced Sasuke to leave and lead him out of the village, I do not think she could forgive you for that." Shizune added with no hostility.

"I didn't tell that bastard anything that wasn't true! Like I said I personally told him the drawbacks and things he would endure and suffer as Orochimaru's slave." Snapping back with full bile at the poor assistant.

"I believe you Tayuya I really do but its not easy for others to accept that."

"I already know that. Isn't that why your shitty Hokage issued orders to kill for the joint mission?" Tayuya gave a cold glare to Shizune who froze up at the mention of the mission.

"You...you know about that all ready?!"

"Of course I do! That Rat Nara is a weak pathetic bastard who cant keep secrets to literally save his miserable life. To think he thought confiding that information to me would make me cooperate!" Flipping the red bangs out of her eyes as she huffed in anger.

"Well Shikamaru is a little wet behind the ears mission wise but he is an effective leader who values his team above all else so its possible since your going to be part of his team for that mission that he was only looking out for you." Shizune's words froze the young kunoichi in her tracts.

"T-that bastard should watch his own back! I am twice the capable ninja he could ever be!" Yelled the Sound kunoichi with a slight blush on her face at the thought of being protected. Or possibly for the fact of being valued was causing her to blush though she would never consider such a thing. Shizune on the other hand did and put a hand on the young girls shoulder immediately snapping her out of her thoughts.

"It's okay to have people look out for you Tayuya. It doesn't mean they think your weak, it means they care enough about you to consider you before themselves. Despite your battle I can say Shikamaru doesn't hold a personal grudge against you." Shizune with her warm smile and confidant attitude had managed to silence Tayuya's rage to internal thinking.

"Come on lets wait out side their room, that way you don't have to be worried about being found out and I can say I kept an eye on you if Lady Tsunade tries to bite my head off for neglect."

"Yeah." Was the young kunoichi's simple reply as she followed the 'bleeding heart' up the stairs and plopped her self outside Chouji's doorway and waited along side the oddly cheerful assistant. Both kunoichi sat side by side silently in the empty hallway and if any passerby were to see them they would surly think it was a strange sight to be seen as the older woman hummed a melody to her self as she slowly bobbed her head back and forth while the young red haired kunoichi listened to her and reluctantly began to hum the same melody to herself only to gain a giggle from the dark haired kunoichi before turning and smiling openly causing Tayuya to scowl but continue humming the tune perfectly to match Shizune's. However their bonding was cut short as Tayuya's ears perked to listen to the laughter emanating behind her causing her humming to stop as she picked out their voices. It was fairly easy to pick out who was talking, the loud blond Ino was poking fun at Shikamaru's friend and ally from the mission and to her surprise Shikamaru was laughing in his allies defense making the blond angry. Tayuya rested the back of her head against the door and listened to their simple, stupid, useless and trivial conversation...with envy. In Sound her team never had casual conversations outside missions, and when they did it was nothing good just the bored perverted remarks worth absolutely nothing to her. Kidomaru always talked about everything like a video game and removed himself from reality as much as he could to get more amusement out of things where as Jirobu made it his life's mission to tell her what kind of woman she is suppose to be and to point out all her 'flaws' and if she wasn't sure he was such a sexist fatass bastard she could have sworn he had a crush on her which sickened her even more. Sakon was the most conversational yet he was a jerk and an asshole to the core who spent far too much time insulting her in his boredom which such dribble as calling her a man born in the wrong body or expecting her to shower in the males section during times when it was required for the great Sound Four to get ready for a mission. But of them all Kimimaru worried her the most with his intense focus and devotion to Orochimaru and after the Fours battle against him when he was made leader of them thus forming the Sound Five she often had nightmares of him killing her as a sort of zealot cleansing. It was bad enough every time they met he threatened to kill her, to impale her like a stick through a can that desecrates the beauty of a road, Orochimaru's road and she was sure if she had killed off the Nara brat and met up with Kimimaru he would gut her before his 'perfect' body shitted on him and he left the world as a final act to rid Orochimaru of her filth.

These people were her teammates, these people were her comrades and these people were dead leaving her alone again and if there was something Tayuya had learned in her life was it was better to be surrounded by absolute crazy ass holes then to be utterly alone in the world and by listening to Shikamaru and his teams happy tones behind the door made her feel worst about her current predicament. She was alone in an enemy village, captured and from what it appeared befriended by a few of them though deceitful eyes were hard to tell any more after she had dealt with Orochimaru and his 'virtuous' eye. She didn't trust the Hokage and had no reason too, She couldn't say she trusted the woman sitting next to her since she was both the eyes, ears and mouth of the Hokage herself. And the Nara prick...she had no idea where they stood since they were still mortal enemy's as far as she was concerned yet he made no attempts to prove himself anything more then her former adversary but he did give her chances, brief moments of trust. They were living together under the same roof after all, his roof and he made no attempts in trying to act like he had no problem with this, he did however give her one clue to go on that eased her mind, If she hurt his family or friends he would kill her and that made her feel more comfortable about the situation because she knew she could hold him to that. As for her former body guards they were now dead to her after them being exposed for what they really were by the Hokage and even though she was in their debt for saving her life twice it now became a debt she would shove down their worthless throats first chance she got.

"Tayuya-chan is everything okay?" Shizune asked as she had watched the redhead stare out into nothingness for the past few minutes with out so much as blinking.

"Y-yeah I am fine already!...B-but don't you think this is weird though?" Tayuya's voiced hushed down to a whisper.

"What is?" The Hokage's assistant inquired honestly.

"Me...being here in this village...alive and not being tortured in prison like a fucking animal. From the very beginning I thought this whole thing was some sort of a trick to break me and maybe it still is...but are you all really so cruel as to put your prisoners though such shit just to kick them in the face?" Her voice holding less hostility then she had originally intended.

"Well you are right to think that. We don't normally treat prisoners like your being treated and in fact your the first to be treated like this as far as I know and Lady Tsunade at first intended to treat you no differently then any other criminal or enemy but you became a unique case."

"A unique case?" Tayuya inquired raising a dark brow

"Well...for one thing even though you and Naruto and Shikamaru you haven't tried to kill them Tayuya winced and you get along with Shikamaru well enough you communicate regularly with him. From what I see it would be better to try and salvage you from Orochimaru's grasp then treat you like just another one of his pawns. I am happy there is a person under there you know." Shizune smiled wide to Tayuya's shocked expression.

"What the hells that suppose to mean huh?! You trying to say I don't have a personality bitch?!" Letting her insult slip in the quick heat of rage she immediately tried to control herself through sheer force of will, after all this person was one of the only ones who had thought of her as a real person in years.

"I-im sorry that I offended you I didn't mean it!" Shizune wildly waved her hands in a dismissive manner before composing her self to explain her self. "I only meant that mostly all of Orochimaru's followers are completely devoted to him so much so their lose their individuality, I do not mean challenge your devotion to him and say your a traitor Tayuya-chan I only meant that theres still enough of a normal human being inside you and not a ruthless tool for you to be saved from his brainwashing." To Shizunes surprise Tayuya had calmed down to her words and looked taken back a little.

"If thats the case then I truly failed my master. He doesn't need pathetic human beings, he requires ruthless blood thirsty weapons to be used as he See's fit. I was one of his best weapons but look at me, I am a useless bitch in his eyes and a traitorous one at that. Now more then ever I deserve to die." Tayuya hung her head down a little covering her face with her long hair obstructing her features from the concerned medic nin.

"You know Tayuya-chan we want the part of you that is human and not the part of you that was a weapon forged from that...bastards twisted desires so it is okay here in this village for you to be that."

"You just said bastard." Was all Tayuya responded with a straight face.

"AIII I am so sorry I didn't mean to swear I promise! Aii Lady Tsunade is going to kill me if she heard I used such language!" Shizune quickly panicked at her own foul language.

"What are you getting so worked up about? I honestly didn't think a goody-goody like you had it in her. Theres hope for you yet." Still remaining her straight face at Shizunes blank expression before cracking up and laughing in her face.

As confused as Shizune was it was good to see the redhead laugh, even if it was done at her own exspence. While not completely understanding what just happened she decided to laugh atlittle herself and rest herself against the wall with Tayuya who had quickly calmed down as quickly as she had started.

But what no one had counted on was Kiba Inuzuka bursting out of his room down the hall shooting a death glare at the red haired kunoichi who had jumped to her feet at the disturbance.

"You got some nerve showing your damn face here you rotten Sound bastard!" Readying a kunai in hand he dropped to the floor on all fours and dashed in her direction completely intent on eliminating the enemy.

"This time your dead!"

"Beginning of chap 11 lines

Kiba roared as he quickly closed the distance between him and the Sound kunoichi while she readied her self for the attack completely oblivious to Shizune who in a first and last ditch effort pulled the young girl out of the way of the attack as she saw Tsunade run out into the hallway to restrain her once calm patient.

A loud crash filled the hall way followed immediately by silence and the dripping of fresh blood.

The two kunochi lay on the ground with a small pool of blood forming in front of them while Kiba was wide eyed as he was pulled back by the Hokage and restrained against the hallway passage.

"W-why did you get in the way you damn idiot?!" Tayuya's frantic voice cracked as Shizune's blood ran down her own arm.

"D-didn't I just give you a speech about looking out for and protecting people you care about over your s-self?" Smiling weakly as she tried to move off the girl under her.


	11. Hospital Shopping

**_AC: Delayed to no end. Inspiration sadly only visits me in the pit of night an morn, a luxery I can no longer aford But I will not give up yet._**

"This time your dead!" Kiba roared as he quickly closed the distance between him and the Sound kunoichi while she readied her self for the attack completely oblivious to Shizune who in a first and last ditch effort pulled the young girl out of the way of the attack as she saw Tsunade run out into the hallway to restrain her once calm patient.

A loud crash filled the hall way followed immediately by silence and the dripping of fresh blood.

The two kunochi lay on the ground with a small pool of blood forming in front of them while Kiba was wide eyed as he was pulled back by the Hokage and restrained against the hallway passage.

"W-why did you get in the way you damn idiot?!" Tayuya's frantic voice cracked as Shizune's blood ran down her own arm.

"D-didn't I just give you a speech about looking out for and protecting people you care about over your s-self?" Smiling weakly as she tried to move off the girl under her.

Tayuya just stared blankly at the medic nin as she began to heal the gash made against her forearm with a nervous smile and looked up to Tsunade who held a struggling Kiba tightly against her self.

"T-thank you lady Tsunade I wasn't sure if you would catch him in time!" Shizune panicked at her masters stern face at the situation.

No sooner as everything settled Ino and Shikamaru quickly exited Chouji's room to inspect the commotion.

Ino gasped seeing the blood pool on the floor next to a wounded Shizune who was holding the gash shut while healing it then noticed Tayuya sitting bewildered behind her while Kiba struggled while being muffed out by the Hokage's stern hand. Shikamaru's mind could only race at the scene as he quickly pondered every possible outcome.

"Get in!, Now! " Was all Tsunade said with supreme authority as she opened the nearest door and dragged Kiba with a firm hand over his mouth to muff out his loud protests.

Tayuya simply watched Shizune nod and get up to offer her hand to help her off the floor. Slowly she accepted and was taken into the room as people began to crowed the hallway to see what the loud noise was.

"O-hh Ino go make sure you let Chouji know everything is okay?" Shizune asked stopping her from entering the room.

"O-kay Shizune-san but what happened here?" Ino asked sensing the direness of the situation.

"I will have Shikamaru explaine everything in a few minutes." With that Shizune entered the room and locked it behind her and saw the serious faces wait for privacy.

Inside the small hospital room Kiba sat across from the Sound nin practically foaming at the mouth while Tsunade and Shizune stood separating the two. Shikamaru stood next to the oto nin with evident anger on his face but said nothing as the Hokage had ordered everyone to remain silent.

"Are you okay Shizune?" Tsunade asked softly first off eying the small wound on her assistants and close friends arm.

"I'm fine lady Tsunade really I just wasn't expecting that." Shizune repeatedly bowed apologetically to her master and friend.

"To begin with I know you have a lot of questions Kiba." The Hokage paused to hear the young Genin growl softly to himself.

"Why the hell is that Sound scum alive?!, Shikamaru I thought you said she was dead?!" Kiba roared as he rose from his seat to protest.

Before said Nara could answer Tsunade stomped her foot down snapping everyone to attention.

"Listen Kiba, I am going to explain the situation!" She waited for everyones attention before composing her self. "This Sound nin is a former member of Orochimaru's. She took part in aiding Sasuke to escape our village but she is willing to help us against defend against Sound and that is why is allowed to live in this village. But what she is doing here in this hospital is beyond me."

"I got dragged here by this rats teammate Ino." Tayuya hissed with slight annoyance as the Hokage eyed Shikamaru to see if the story checked out. To Tsunade's dismay he nodded in agreement.

"But she is the enemy Tsunade-sama!" Kiba roared while rising from his seat.

"Kiba listen to me carefully okay." Tsunade waited for him to sit back down before continuing. "This Oto nin...Tayuya, she came to our village and decided to aid us against Sound." Giving a sharp look at the Sound nins insipid features.

"You cant really believe in one of Orochimaru's flunky's can you Hokage-Sama?!" Kiba protested loudly.

"Thats how trust works I'm afraid. Its my personal policy to only trust someone as far as I can throw them so naturally I can trust her quite well since I can throw her over 1000 yards." Tsunade jested to herself while said Oto nin glared intently at the blonds sense of humor.

"Hokage-sama.." Shikamaru interjected with a lazy tone. "What happened in the hall just now?"

Tsunade exhaled deeply and pressed her fingers against her brow in irritation before going over the events of what transpired minutes ago.

"I was checking up on Kiba here since it was time for him to leave the hospital. I have evaluated he is healthy enough to leave and begin training once he sees fit." The Hokage paused momentarily while squeezing her brow before finishing. "He said he smelled a Sound ninja nearby and was going to investigate. Now to me it didn't seem possible that it would be her here of all places. He attacked her and Shizune intervened and protected her as you can see."

To Shikamaru's surprise Shizune only nodded while a awkward smile on her face giving the circumstances while Tayuya looked away in disapproval of the events.

"She didn't have to interfere because I am fully capable of fending off worthless mutts." Tayuya protested while brushing the parting of hair from her eyes.

"Who you calling a mutt red! Want another taste of my fang over fang?!" Kiba roared while cracking his knuckles and readying his claws.

"And thats why your a mutt fucker!, Your so damn dense you don't even realize I wasn't the one who got a taste in the first place!, it was Shizune dumb ass." the redhead hissed smiling bitter sweetly to the Inuzuka clan member.

"Enough from both of you!" Tsunade stomped accidentally shaking the room momentarily.

Both nins went silent from surprise and respected the Hokage's authority for the moment.

"This is a matter of the up most secrecy Kiba. I can not stress enough how this information must not be public knowledge or that might incite retribution much like the kind you just demonstrated or the Sound taking action to either eliminate her or capture so you must talk to no one out side this room about it understand?" The beautiful blond asked with a hint of desperation in her voice to resolve the situation.

"I-i understand Hokage-sama, you have my word." Kiba answered with hesitance in his voice.

"Good then, now if there are no more questions Shikamaru and Kiba please leave the room whi-" Tsunade was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door. "Who is it now?" Tsunade called out.

"Hyuga Neji Hokage-sama. I heard the disturbance and wish to know why that person is present in the room at the moment." Neji spoke softly from the other side of the door.

Taking a deep sign the Fifth Hokage opened the door and made room for him to enter as he eyed everyone in the room with his byakugon activated.

" That explains how he knew she was in here." Both Shizune and Tsunade thought at the same time.

Tayuya glared at the bandaged shinobi as he stared intently at her with his white nearly pupil less eyes.

"You got a problem with me too fucker?" The red head asked crossing her legs on the chair while snarling at him.

Instead of replying Neji simply looked to the Hokage who already knew what he wanted to ask.

"She survived and is aiding our village against Sound. Kiba here smelled her and attacked before I could stop him and he was just debriefed on the situation. I do not need to tell you that this information does not leave this room correct Neji?" Tsunade crossed her arms over her large chest and awaited his answer.

"Understood Hokage-sama, if that is all I will take my leave." Once he was acknowledged with the Hokage's nod he turned and made his way to the door.

"Not so fast eyeballs..." Tayuya spoke up stopping him while she rose from her seat to look him in his empty eyes.

"...?" Neji turned back meeting her hateful glare.

"Your the one who fought and killed Kidomaru aren't you?" the rest of the room tensed up from her question and remained silent.

" ...Kidomaru was his name then. Yes I fought him and defeated him in battle. I intended to sacrificed my own life to take his but our medical squad saved me." Neji's voice remained calm and strong as she glared through him. "He was the greatest opponent I had ever faced in my life, you should be proud of his immense abilities and prowess."

Tayuya remained stunned at his approval of her former teammate. From his snobby appearance she was sure he would have talked down upon him as low class trash like any other pure blood person would. She regretfully had to give the hyuuga pint of respect.

"...At least you managed to beat him on your own strength unlike that dickless pineapple head over there." Throwing a thumb back at Shikamaru who only raised an inquisitive eyebrow from suddenly being mentioned. "And you dog breath, I doubt you beat Sakon and Ukon with your shitty moves either?" Turning her head at Kiba who jumped up at attention at her insult.

"Hey who you calling dog breath?!" Kiba demanded while raising his voice.

"YOU you fucking idiot!, Who else smells like they been licking their own ass for hours in this room?!"

"I was not licking my own ass!" Kiba protested.

"Then you were licking someone else's ass!" Tayuya rebutted making the dog user more enraged. "Just ask eyeballs over there if you don't believe me, he has been trying to hold his nose since he walked in." Tayuya pointed at Neji's straighten posture.

"...She is not invalid, you have a unique...odor Kiba." Neji answered with a low tone

"W-what come on bro how are you going to take her side like that?! I thought we were cool!" Kiba cried in disbelief.

"Alright enough of this all of you!" Tsunade commanded snapping their attention. "The issue has been resolved and it doesn't leave this room understand?" Glaring at each on of them from one side of the room to the other.

"Yes Hokage-sama!" Responded everyone but Tayuya who answered in a more colorful way to her self.

"Now dismissed, everyone leave except for you Tayuya." Tsunade ordered much to everyones surprise.

As a response Tayuya just sat back into her seat and crossed her arms and looked away from the group as the gennin and single chunnin exited.

"What now must I submit to?" Tayuya asked with an empty tone.

"Basic tests." Tsunade spoke quickly as she prepared a not book while setting up a small work station in the sterile room. "Strip and stand in front of the bed."

To Tsunade's surprise the former sound nin did not reply and only stiffened with the faintest twitch. _"Apprehension in a seasoned nin?, that bastard Orochimaru must have really messed with his subordinates heads._" The Hokage inwardly signed.

"Please...Tayuya." Tsunade asked softly while lowering her notepad sympathetically. After a moment the young nin complied and removed her clothing revealing bruises and old worn in scars. The sight wasn't deforming but more then she would expect on such a young child's body.

"Lets begin the examination." Tsunade placed both hands on the stern girls shoulders and felt the extreme tenseness as she let her chakra flow into the girls system slowly. Her patience body's system felt normal at first, high stress levels for a ninja, increased blood pressure, erratic chakra network and slight necrosis of bodily tissue..._"Wait what the hell?!"_


	12. Frustrasion

**_A/C:Not dead yet. Cut this chapter a tad bit short but felt it was a decent end before the next one._**

* * *

The silent halls of the Konoha medical center erupted into loud shouting as Ino bombarded her teammate senselessly for the incident which just accrued.

"What the heck happened to Shizune-sensei?!" Ino crossed her arms in a demanding fashion as she starred down the two genin and single chunin.

When no one spoke she took a few steps closer to the mentally weakest member. Neji's expression remained unchanged since he had entered so any attempts at getting the info from him would fail and Shikamaru just looked tired and irritated as usual but Kiba's fidgeting posture and excited expression marked him as her prey.

"Tell me now dog breath!" Ino pointed her finger vigorously as if scolding a misbehaving dog.

"Ahhh it wasn't my fault it was the Sound girls fault!" He jumped back squealing loudly.

Neji could only shake his head at his former teammates weak nature and clear disobedience of the Hokage's order she no longer then a full minute ago had told them. Shikamaru could only frown his brow tightly and mumble an irritated "Troublesome" at Kiba's clear disregard to the situation.

"S-sound girl?, that girl Tayuya is a member of the Sound village?" Ino asked with wide eyes at the realization she had been walking around with an enemy agent not to mention enjoying her company.

"Kiba such folly in top secret matters is almost unforgivable." Neji glared with his white pupils.

"You mean to tell me I been leading around an enemy to our country?!, being nice to her?!" Ino's shock slowly drew back as anger took over her face. "Shikamaru you knew all along didn't you!" She quickly shot him a glare which pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah I knew." He shrugged once before continuing. "It's such a drag but its an order of the Hokage herself so I couldn't tell anyone."

"Its a matter of national security Ino." Neji uncharacteristically cut into the conversation for Shikamaru's defense. Their mission may be over but he still looked at Shikamaru as a good leader figure for his cool head and battle strategies.

"T-that may be but you lied to me Shikamaru!" Ino's voice became noticeably strained and weaker since her resolute demeanor was being overcome by the facts of the matter. "You said she was a friend of the family, mission or not were teammates and we need to trust one another damn it." Ino's voice began to break down as she forced her self to continue. "How can you tell me that with a straight face while a member of the group that hurt Chouji and everyone else so badly they almost died is standing right beside you?!"

"..."

"Say something Shikamaru!, I know you cared the most about Chouji and your team so how can you stand harboring that bitch and lying to me..." She looked away from him unable to keep eye contact which was suiting Shikamaru fine for the moment since he couldn't make eye contact with her since his gaze being fixated to the floor at his shadow.

"It was a top secrete assignment Ino giving by the Hokage. I was assigned I guess because I had fought her and know what she is capable of. I guess its like a safe guard in case she tries anything funny." He paused giving the silence and continued after raising his head to gaze at the ceiling.

"You should have more faith in Shikamaru Ino, he will not allow that girl to harm anyone of that I am sure." Neji cut in once more time to deliver the finishing blow to Ino's protest.

"Fine I got it guys enough of the bonding already." The blond shook her head to wipe away her emotional state as best she could. "I believe you did what you thought needed to be done for your assignment but mark my words Nara Shikamaru if you ever try to lie about something like that again mission or not I will hit you with a sixteen hit combo so fast your shadow wont even be able to catch you!" She forced a smile to meet his forced smile.

"Got it Ino." He nodded slowly.

"Well if you got it then explain why you are guarding a Sound member in the first place." her voice calmer but twice as demanding as before.

"What a drag Ino but since you already know theres no harm in explaining the situation." Shikamaru stiffened his stance a little as the three genin focused their attention to him. "That girl Tayuya was a member of the Sound Four as both Neji and Kiba realize from our mission to retrieve Sasuke." He stated with a low tone to his comrades and awaited their slight nods. "Me and Naruto went up against her after the bone guy took the barrel from her, I stayed behind to keep her from following Naruto as he chased on and me and her fought." Nara sighed as he remembered the difficulty of their battle.

"Just get on with it Shikamaru I already know that much from debriefed after you all came back but wasn't it in the report that the Suna woman killed her and saved your life?" Kiba shouted suddenly.

"Yeah that is what I thought too but she is too troublesome to die it seems." Adding a small chuckle under his breath at the thought. "She survived and came here for refuge and is now cooperating with Hokage-sama to cripple Orochimaru's forces and bring Sasuke back in the process if possible...the whole situation is a major drag since I have to always watch my back with her."

As Shikamaru explained the situation with his friends Tsunade continued her inspection of the Oto nins body. What was meant to be a twenty minute check up quickly escalated into a full hour examination which was putting Tayuya on edge.

* * *

"A-are we freaking done yet?!" Tayuya protested with slight nervousness as she felt a cold metal object run up and down her spine.

"Just a bit more Tayuya I am almost finished with my examination." The Hokage snapped back silencing the red head once again. Tsunade did not want to let the girl catching on that there was a serious problem with her.

From her examination thus far Tsunade had uncovered several abnormalities with the girls physical health. Her spine felt as if it was smashed apart then jammed back together, the same could be said for her chakra pathways through out her lower body which feel like they have been crushed then inflated.

Tsunade pressed both hands flat against the young girls spine once more and let her chakra flow into her body and felt as it intermingled with the Oto nins then met some sort of foreign substance which repelled her own chakra. At first it was presumed that it was the effects of the Curse seal and Orochimaru's foul chakra presence with in her but upon further examination she pinpointed that chakra due to its unmistakable foulness which screamed Orochimaru...no this other chakra was different from the Snake Sannin, it was far weaker yet held its own unique malice. Besides the chakra Tsunade noticed annomlies with the girls blood flow, she could feel the white blood cells in over drive trying to heal damaged tissue and fend off disease, she would NEED to retrieve a blood sample before the day was done to look into this.

"Whats wrong with me?" Tayuya asked bluntly snapping the Hokage from her thoughts on the girls physical condition.

"...A lot of things." Tsunade responded with the same tone and she pulled back and allowed the Oto nin to change back into her clothing.

"Cut the shit already I have heard you "Hmming" and becoming frustrated since you begun so just tell me."

"Watch your tone Tayuya and remember who you are talking with." Tsunade's cold tone stopped the girls rant immediately. "If you want answers you need to give me some answers understand?" Tayuya nodded venomously to the Hokage's demand..

"Good, now has Orochimaru ever preformed any odd experiments on you?"

"What the fuck is that suppose to mean?!" Tayuya snapped at the accusation only to meet the intensity of the Hokage's glare.

"Let me put it this way, your body is not operating like a normal persons body. The stress your body is under right now to maintain it self is amazing. I honestly do not know how you are even in front of me right now as you are." Tsunade crossed her arms in front of the redhead looking her over slowly.

"What worries me the most is you appear to be completely unaware what is going on with you so I can only presume Orochimaru must have done something to make you how you are right now."

Tayuya sat on the stool across from the Hokage taken back by what she was hearing. She was sure, damn sure Orochimaru did not perform any experiments with out her knowledge and that prior to her death...

"_D-Death...thats right I fucking died and those bastards revived me!, that has to be the reason behind her findings!"_ Tayuya's eyes widened at the realization.

" Come up with something Tayuya?" Tsunade asked while taking a step towards the girl.

"N-no nothing I don't know about anything like that." Tayuya lied looking away from the busty woman in front of her.

To this Tsunade sighed and motioned the girl away since it was obvious she wasn't going to talk at the moment and that forcing her would do little good.

"Then you are dismissed for today once you give me a sample of your blood." Declared the Hokage while holding a needle pointing at the redhead.

"Forget it, no more experiments for me." Waving her hand as she walked to the door.

"Its not up for negotiation Tayuya." Tsunade said coldly as she gripped the girls wrist and turn her arm and precisely impaled the needle tip into Tayuya's vein. However she did not expect the resistance she would get.

"Y-you fucking bitch!" Tayuya roared as soon as she realized the cold steel was deep in her arm as she tried to rear it away from the Hokage's iron clad grip. Seeing that her efforts were futile she back handed for her captures face only connected with the stern cheek and hard chin bone which only made the grip tighten on her arm.

"Are you actually trying to fight me little girl?" Tsunade asked with a cold stern voice freezing Tayuya from resisting further. "If you want to keep your arm I suggest you remember who in Kami's name I am." Seeing the oto nin give in Tsunade retrieved the needle from her arm and placed it aside on a table. "Disrespect me again like that and you will find your bed to be a ragged cot in one of our cells understand."

Tayuya nodded to her words slowly while the bitch let go of the iron clad grip on her arm.

"And just so you are not soon to forget the situation you are not allowed to leave the Nara premises until I say other wise so you do not create another incident like today."

Tayuya simply stared and nodded for there was nothing else she could do. Besides the demands were not unreasonable to her in the slightest although the ability to not leave the house was bugging her.

"I can not leave their house at all?"

Tsunade grinned widely already knowing what she was asking to know.

"Don't worry I will still allow your little retrieves, I am not heartless after all. If I were I wouldn't allow to play your flute outside seeing how you like to everyday." Tsunade said while grinning devilishly at the girl. However she did not receive the shocked angry response she desired.

"They watch me I know that." Tayuya's voice was monotone and expressionless which offset the Hokage a little.

"Well we can't completely ignore you, that would be stupid and foolish." Tsunade turned away and placed the needle o the table and push some of the blood onto a flask and looked at it from a micro scoop. "You are dismissed."

* * *

Tayuya exited into the empty hallway save for Shikamaru who sat across from her room on a waiting chair. She met his bored stare with one of emptiness.

"That girl Ino left?"

"Yeah."

"..."

"..."

"She knows I am a Sound nin right?" Tayuya asked as she lifted and cocked her head towards him.

"...Yeah." He simply replied realizing she had heard them the whole time.

"Then lets get the fuck out of here." Her voice was even as she walked away leaving him sitting in the chair.

"Troublesome."

* * *

Their walk home was one of silence and comfortability on both their parts. Shikamaru wasn't used to her being quiet where as Tayuya just wasn't used to the circumstances her life was now in. They passed countless pedestrians who mistook them for a brooding couple. Shikamaru ignored the ignorant glares he received as people instantly assumed he did something horrible like cheat on her.

"I cant leave your house until the bitch says I can." Tayuya suddenly broke the silence.

"Yeah it only figures after today I guess."

"I can still go out into your back yard though." Tayuya said evenly with her tone as she never looked back at him.

"You sure she said you can?" Adding a slight laugh at the statement.

"Fuck you Shikamaru just go...fuck your self already." Her voice quickly became hard for him to listen too, it lacked her strong defiance and will it normally kept.

"Something wrong?" The chunin forced himself to ask.

"Everything is fucking wrong you useless moron." Suddenly turning to him whipping her hair to her side. "I shouldn't even be alive, every single fucking breath I take is a mistake!" She shouted scaring the crows from their perches upon the telephone lines that darted the cities.

"It cant be tha..." Shikamaru began but was instantly cut off.

"Every fucking breath!"

Shikamaru held off talking as he tried to reason what she was saying. There had to be more to her words since her stone cold eyes looked somewhat...soft.

"And on top of fucking all of it I am stuck with you, I want to kill you so badly!" She marched over to him rearing her hands to his neck and gripped it with no resistance, he simply allowed her to vent for the time being. Her fingers squeezed causing the chunin to choke a little but wouldn't give in to redhead unless she went to far. Slowly Tayuya released her fingers from him.

Tayuya's arms fell to her sides as she lowered her head and covered her face with her hair.

"Can we just go to that shit hole, I just want this day to be over." Holding her hand to her forehead and rubbing her brow profusely.

"Alright lets get going, besides my mom is cooking something special tonight for dinner." Shikamaru tired his best to get her mind off of what ever thoughts were eating at her mind.

"Like what shit head?" Tayuya retorted with a horsed laugh.

"Swordfish with a side of pineapple." Shikamaru ginned as he leaned back with both hands in his pockets.

"..." Tayuya blinked twice with wide eyes then laughed at the thought. "Wouldn't that make your ass a fucking cannibal?"

"Guess so" Shikamaru shrugged off with a slight grin as he walked past her then felt she was following behind.

Slowly the tension dissipated between the pair as they reached the Nara clans residence and waited at the door to be let in by Yoshino who still wore the apron from the kitchen.

"Dinner is already prepared on the table so feel free to dig in once your ready to eat." Yoshino announced in a cheerful tone as both teens entered and made their way to the dinner table.

"I'm going to eat in my room." Tayuya took her plate from the table and began her ascent up the stairs to the solitary confines of her "guest" quarters.

"Did something happen Shikamaru?"

"Minor incident in the hospital, long story short is she is under house arrest so I guess she wants her space."

"Ohh I see..." Yoshino's voice sounded dejected as she watched the girl pace up the stairs.

* * *

In the confines of Tayuya's room a sharp sound of metal clanging against clay could be heard as Tayuya stabbed her fork into the sliced pineapple pieces which she rearranged to resemble her hosts head.

"Why do I feel so comfortable here?!" She gritted her teeth as she ate the pineapple slice the threw her fork into the wall perfectly forcing it into wood. "This whole set up is wrong, I should be fucking dead." Leaving the half finished food on her bed Tayuya made her way to the scroll and unsealed the alcohol bottles from their confines then stared at the before resealing them. "I will not be weak like them and drink my trouble away, a true shinobi endures all hard ship." She reminded her self as she slumped against the side of the bed and sat on the floor. It was then the thought occured to her.

"...Do I even count as a true shinobi anymore?"


	13. Answer Given, A Night To Remember

**_AC: Inspiration struck me like a bitchslap. As allways I do not own the series Naruto, its characters nor anything else, that honor belongs to Kishimoto...the ****** XD_**

* * *

The middle of the night and all was quiet in the Nara compound. The sounds of crickets chirping in the distance faded in and out, the two ANBU 'baby sitters' had stopped arguing about how much they hated their assignment and was replaced by them playing cards and mumbling to each other under their masks on a near by tree overlooking their 'childs' room. The sounds of slow dripping water from the bathroom and kitchen sinks echoed softly through out the residence breaking the otherwise silent hush that swept over house. Yes it was a quiet night alright and such silence was as a thunderstorm to the wide awake redhead who took silence and peace as a harbinger of violence and attack.

Each moment of perfect silence made her more self aware of her surroundings, each moment of complete peace brought her more on edge, each moment dragged on forever and it was beginning to drive her nuts as she stared irritated at the plain ceiling above her. Even the ceiling was as alien to her as the peace of the house, it wasn't like the stone ceilings of the Sound bases, her room wasn't as noisy now that she didn't share it with her comrades who would annoy her constantly with obscene gestures and ridiculous questions about 'how to score a chick?' or 'what do girls like? And her personal favorite 'Why are you in such a bitchy mood today?'' that Kidomaru and Sakon constantly would ask her despite her warnings. No this was much different then what she was used too, hell she didn't even noticed it the first night there due to feeling like shit from being imprisoned for what felt like forever by the blond bitch but the longer she remained there the more time her mind had to wonder such thoughts and she sure had time to wonder as she bored her vision into the tan tiles above her.

"Fuck..." Tayuya muttered to her self briefly as she surveyed her surroundings for the thirteenth time in a row before tossing and turning restlessly in her bed before her fixated on her rooms door.

"If I cant sleep then that prick wont either." The red head concluded as she left her bed and made her way to the Nara's room.

Said Nara laid still in his bed with one eye open facing away from the red head that stood in his door way. His shadow possession jutsu at the ready under his bed in case she made her move on his life. While outwardly he showed no interest or blatant concern for the red headed Sound ninja to share the same residence as himself in all actuality was quickly beginning to make him lose the comfortable eleven hours of sleep he would normally get on an off day.

"Shit head get up." She suddenly called out to him making his open eye widen a little bit.

"Oi its the middle of the night you know." Shikamaru responded trying his best to sound groggy.

"Get your ass out of bed now and follow me." Tayuya said flatly.

Shikamaru could only raise an eye brow as he forced himself to ask "To where?" Her response shook him to the core.

"My room."

Minutes later Shikamaru found himself standing in the middle of the redheads room confused and concerned. He didn't ask any more questions after her last response and she didn't say a word as he followed her.

"Sit on the floor shit head." Tayuya suddenly demanded causing the young Nara to tense up a bit.

Sensing the chunins hesitation she spoke in a neutral voice with less authority. "This isn't a set up ass hole." She stopped talking to build up a smirk. "I promise I wont kill you tonight."

"If its not my life you want then what is it annoying?" Shikamaru grunted as he sat down irritated with the girl before him.

"Drink this shit with me." Tayuya replied as she slung two sake bottles to the chunnin as he sat on the floor. She couldn't help her self but grin at his surprised reaction.

"C-come again?" He stuttered as he analyzed the two bottles.

"That idiot of a father of yours gave me too much of the shit and I will not sully myself by having another night like before so you will get rid of some of it for me understand?"

"So throw it out if you don't want it and besides why did my dad even give this stuff to you in the first place?" Shikamaru grunted before continuing. "Its not like you are legal to drink in this village, regardless of how Orochimaru ran Sound."

"First off prick this is the good shit so you just don't pour it down the damn drain and secondly I can tell he gave it to me since he knows I am not some sand box ninja who plays pretend like you."

"And what is that suppose to mean?" Shikamaru demanded with slight resentment for the statement.

"It means you have never ventured out beyond your village that far, you have had this villages safety all your life and don't know what it means to have it rough or have to struggle to survive like everyone else outside your nice little bubble of a village. Your father however looks very world weary so I am not surprised he tried to feed me the same medicine he drowns himself to sleep with." Tayuya spat as she looked deeply at the contents of her bottle. "He at least has an idea what life is like outside this place and what real missions are like so I am not surprised he turned to this shit."

"I admit I was recently ranked chunnin but I have had missions outside the village, the mission to retrieve Sasuke was the only really hostile mission and besides that how can you say that about my dad since you only just met him."

"See I knew you were a green horn idiot, how you made chunnin is beyond me." Tayuya gulped down her bottle once she was finished berating the chunnin then looked over to him to see his amazement.

"As for your father well my bastard of a dad was a drunk too so I can tell." Tayuya grabbed another bottle and drank this one slower then the last as she remembered the times her father yelled at her while being drunk and beaten her...not that he didn't when he was sober mind you. "You got it lucky again though since he hasn't let that shit destroy his life."

Stared at his room mate thoroughly before looking down at the bottle in his hand.

"Whats the real reason you asked me here?" He asked calmly snapping the red head from her saddening thoughts.

"Its because I cant stand you asshole so I thought this would help since it helped me stand my former teammates and besides aren't you suppose to be a man and not a rat?" Tayuya taunted as she waved a sake bottle in front of him. "And real men don't let woman drink alone right?" Tossing the bottle for him to catch.

"Why do you see any women around to drink along with?" Shikamaru joked ignoring the red head grit her teeth in blatant anger. "But still I cant turn down someone as troublesome like you easily so what ever." Taking a quick sip the black haired chunnin sighed softly as the red head gave him a satisfied twisted smirk.

"Tch how can dad stand this stuff." Shikamaru muttered as he found himself forcing the liquid down to keep steady pace with the girl before him as they both forcibly tried to make conversation.

"You still whining over there rat?" Tayuya inquired as she sat across from him with her back resting against one of the bookshelves.

"Whats there to whine about, I only have a loud foul tempered troublesome girl who tried to kill me wake me up in the middle of the night to drink and talk about how much my village stinks."

Following his statement something unexpected happened, the girl suddenly blurted out laughing at him before snickering to her self softly. She had to be tipsy Nara thought.

"Its not that funny you know." He grunted out as she kept laughing at him.

"I-its not that its funny d-dumb ass..." She struggled to control her speech while holding back laughing. "I-its just both our lives are so f-fucked up!" With that she laughed harder then before with her cheeks a noticeable shade of red.

"Ehh?" Shikamaru could only raise a single eye brow at the girl before she calmed down to respond properly.

"W-were enemies." She began as she controlled her amusement of the situation. "Were freaking enemies who should be gutting each other and delivering each others head to are masters and yet here we are in the same damn fucking house drunk (she had to have been speaking for her self) trying to stand each others company, I don't know if I should be laughing or crying at this shit!"

Shikamaru could only sigh to himself as the Sound girl quieted down.

"Hey Nara..." Tayuya called out to him with a much more sobered voice. "I will help in the mission against Orochimaru but I am not going to fight them first hand, thats my only condition." Her voice was steady and absolute sounding though it lacked emotion behind it. "Its fucked up enough as it is so I don't need their blood on my hands as well."

"Thats fine if it were up to me but it is up to the Hokage to decide."

"Make her decide then." Tayuya then sat back against the wall an starred at him with a glazed over look. "Do that and were even prick."

Shikamaru shifted uncomfortably against the end of the bed as he forced him self to as the question with as little interest as possible. "If you care that much about your village why agree to side against it?" "He now had to wait for the lash of slurs and swears to pour from the red heads mouth but to his surprise there weren't any.

"I'm a defector, I fucking hate defectors I mean hell our squad used to hunt their asses down under Orochimaru's orders. I always saw them as weaklings yet here I am in your damn shitty village living with you of all people." Groaning Tayuya let the empty sake bottle roll out of her hand letting the half drunken liquid pour on her floor.

"You did it to survive." Shikamaru suddenly stated causing the red head to look up at him surprised.

"Whats so great about surviving when you are forsaken by your master and village?" Tayuya asked half heartedly.

"As troublesome as you are its a sign that you are a strong shinobi, that even with out cause you continue to survive no matter what."

Tayuya could only blink a few times at him in surprise. She hadn't expected him to give a shit about her.

"My dad told me one day after I became a gennin that the one predominate mission of any shinobi is to survive, if we are capable to do that no mission is impossible to complete and no foe is impossible to defeat." Shikamaru paused in reflection of his fathers speech before continuing. "He told me that if you have the strength to survive you can one day fine value in your existence though at the time he was ironically drunk and I just blew him off to stair at the sky some more."

Tayuya sat back in reflection of the chunins words as she applied it to her own life and delved deeper to fine a meaning to them. She had nothing now, she had survived her battle by an intervention and a lucky fluke at best but she was alive. She remembered after she had been miraculously revived that being alive to her meant only revenge to those who had wronged her. She could still take her revenge, she could still kill the pineapple headed chunin but it would cost her everything she had now...she still had something.

Shikamaru could only watch her in the minutes that followed as Tayuya was deep in thought. He couldn't help but notice the unmistakable red cheeks that brightened her otherwise cold face. He couldn't help but smile the moment he saw that his words had suddenly just clicked in her head. And he most certainly couldn't help but feel a sudden dread the moment she caught him looking at her and her face formed a sinister smile as she crawled hands and knees up to him stopping just over his lap staring right into his eyes.

To say Nara Shikamaru was nervous was an understatement. He had what he presumed to be a completely drunken ex-Sound kunoichi sit just over his lap with both her arms beside his head holding the end of the bed keeping him from any form of escape that didn't involve physical contact. It didn't help she was just inches away from his face staring at him with a content grin at his cool being immediately broken by her advance on him.

"You know what rat?" Her rough tomboyish voice was surprisingly low and feminine as she spoke slowly away from his lips causing beads of sweat to begin to form around his brow as he broke eye contact with her and looked away uncomfortably. "I'm glad I didn't kill you that day."

Seeing her rivals eyes widen in surprise to her statement Tayuya smirked wider letting her lips part letting the alcohol on her breath flow right into Shikamaru's nose.

_"J-just how much sake did she drink while I was talking anyway?"_ Shikamaru could only ask himself before she rested her body on top of his causing him to jump up suddenly from surprise, though he didn't get to high with her weight on him.

"H-hey come on you just had too much to drink!" Shikamaru nervously protested as he tried his best not touch her at all yet get her off him. _"Perhaps shadow possession jutsu?"_ He thought momentarily before her felt her right hand run fingers softly into his pony tail.

"I guess I should show you my appreciation. She mused as she played with his hair before her hand drifted from the back of his head and found his shoulder as she dug her head against his chest.

"Thanks for seeing something of worth in me Nara." She whispered slowly as she unknowingly embraced him before drifting into sleep.

Shikamaru just sat there with her clinging onto him relieved that she had passed out before...hell he didn't want to think of what might have happened if she didn't. Softly he took hold of both her shoulders and rolled her gently off him onto the floor where he took her pillows and sheets from her bed and made a makeshift one for her. He had wanted to place her on her bed but he felt as worn out as if he had just been in mortal combat with her again.

Pulling the covers up to her neck Shikamaru then rested on her bed, he wouldn't feel right if she got sick in the night again and began vomiting again...thats what he told himself anyway as he stared at her before trying to rest himself.

"With out a doubt Sound girl you are the most troublesome woman I have ever known." He said aloud as he gazed up at the ceiling with a small smile before it grew saddened. "But you just might be too troublesome for even me..."

* * *

_AC:Welp thats the new chapter and I am really nervous about its reception to you the readers. I feel this is a make or break chapter so please give me feed back on it._

_Much love Strath ._


	14. Day In The Life Of A Nara X Encroaching

_AC: As I had promised the new chapter of Cursed Death! As allways please Comment and review!  
Also if you havent checked the latest chapter of Never given a Choice i mentioned that a comic project me and my friend have been working on known as Tayuya's Therapy Session has been is viewable on Deviant Art via this link .com/ or by searching Tayuya Reina in their search field. Feel free to check it out if interested to see afew other Naruto series related sketches as well as other things(like fan art of myself Strath X3 ku ku ku)_

_NOTICE:After much thought and consideration I am going to omit a plot this from this chapter/story. I would like to note this is the first time I have done this and I feel it is a nesessity for the sake of originality this story contained from my other one. As Such I am removing certain elements of the Encrouching segment of this chapter while replacing it with new content. Said elements were the introduction of 4 characters I no longer wish to be a part of this story. I would also like to state no one has messaged me about this prior to my decision and it is my choice as a writer. That being said I would like to give my thanks to this sites marvalous tools that allow you to amend editorial mistakes such as this._

* * *

Peace. It was so damn peaceful as Tayuya stirred her head from her pillow as the songs of blue birds whistled sweetly into the air waking her. There was only one thing that caused the slightly cranky nin to be alarmed and that was the fact that her ceiling was so damned far away from her face.

"The hell?" Tayuya said aloud to her self in a groggy voice as she sat up to realize she had slept on the floor. It didn't take long before she remembered the last night and how she had ordered the rat to keep her company and the events that followed. _"T-that damn bastard, he better not have gotten any funny ideas about me!"_ Tayuya mentally screamed to her self as she swiftly exited her room and busted his rooms door in with a huff of anger. To her displeasure it was completely vacant.

"Tayuya whats wrong?" Yoshino's surprised voice was heard by the red head causing her to turn and see the woman down the hall with a laundry basket of cloths in hand. "Are you looking for Shikamaru?" Tayuya turned to his mother and regained her calm, no sense letting on something was wrong.

"Yeah I need to talk to that stupid rat about something." Tayuya casually crossed her arms in front of her as if to signify the matter was of no grave consequence.

"Well unfortunately he left early today on some duty for the Hokage so I don't know when he will be back, I swear that son of mine doesn't tell me anything!" Tayuya only nodded briefly as Yoshino muttered to her self about his laziness. "Say Tayuya are you going to be busy until he returns?"

"Not like I can leave with out being killed right." Tayuya tilted her head back at the obviousness of being imprisoned in the house.

"Well if you like you can come with me to tend the deers out back, Shikamaru hasn't even done that once for me since he became a chunin." Yoshino signed softly into the laundry at his lazy negligence.

"How in the hell did he even become a chunin in the first place?" The sound girl kept her arms crossed in disgust in regards to the Nara's undeserved advancement.

"Well he was the only member of his team to make it to the end of the chunin exams and he almost won his match." Yoshino explained with natural motherly pride that took Tayuya back for a moment.

"Almost?" Tayuya inquired after suppressing memories of her own mother.

"Well in his match he outwitted his opponent then forfeit the match when he had the advantage. We found out the Third Hokage himself was impressed with his abilities and recommended him to become a chunin. Of all the genin to enter the exams he was the only one to pass." This information peeked Tayuya's interest.

"What was the match?"

"Well he got paired against one of the shinobi from Wind country. She was extremely skilled and kept Shikamaru on the ropes the entire match but while she was trying to beat him she fell perfectly in place to be caught by our families specialty jutsu the shadow paralysis then just like that he quit when he could have finished her off. Though he gave up me and my husband are very proud of him."

Tayuya could only blink in disbelief at this information. It was too damn similar to her own experience against the lazy shadow user. Sure he's smart for trash she had to give him that much, no other enemy she had fought has survived her deadly melody but that wasn't completely because of his own ability...he had help,

"Did his opponent wield a giant fan?" Tayuya stressed the question by scowling heavily at the mere thought of the sand bitch.

"Yes she did...now that I think about it I seen her in the hospital with Shikamaru after the retrieval mission."

That information did not surprise the former Sound nin in the least, the fuckers were made for each other. He is a lazy bitch who cant finish anything and she is a psychotic bitch who loves to kill her opponents. The whole affair was only worth a cheap laugh to Tayuya.

"Any way I'll help you since that rat is incompetent of doing anything around here." Tayuya sighed aloud as she let her anger and frustration fade for a moment. _"If I play my cards right I should be able to practice my flute outside and have some damn peace."_

"Well this laundry can wait for the moment, lets go tend to the deers, you haven't been introduced yet have you?" Yoshino asked with kindness in her voice.

"Introduced?" Tayuya asked with mild confusion. "Do they talk or some shit?"

"Well not like we do anyway." Yoshino replied with a smile."You will see when we tend to them."

"How do we do that?" Tayuya asked with little emotion which was beginning to bother Yoshino deeply. The Nara housewife could hear the years of self sacrificing servitude that the young girl had dedicated to Orochimaru.

"I will show you when we arrive at their stables." Yoshino reassured her.

The pairs travel to the deer stables was spent in complete silence. Yoshino for her part didn't want to pry into the girls past, last time she had drudged up Tayuya's memories it had cost her due to the young girls immense strength while Yoshino had embraced her. Tayuya on the other hand didn't feel like talking at the moment. The kind woman unnerved her greatly since she was such a strong mother figure, something Tayuya was not used to being around.

It didn't take too long until the '"stables"came into few. There were no pens so the deer were free to enter and exit at will.

"How do you keep them locked up?" Tayuya asked as she watched a few deers in the distance over look the pair.

"We don't keep them locked up, their free to roam on our grounds as they wish. We find raising them naturally is the best for them and us as well." Yoshino explained as she began unpacking various tools and supplies from a carrying bag.

"Well what do you do with them, kill them for food?" Tayuya asked bluntly not seeing the point of tending deer.

"Heavens no, we don't kill them for food!" Yoshino protested waving her hands in a dismissive manner. "Our clan uses their antlers for medicinal purposes, me make and distribute many different medicine to other clans in the Fire Nation so by making sure our deer are healthy we get the best samples to use for medicine."

"That explains all those damn medical books in my room but still theres a freaking deer head hanging on the wall, how in the hell does that relate to medicine?" The red haired girl snapped at the memory of waking up to its image in the morning.

Yoshino signed and let the young girls vulgar mouth and disrespect slide for the moment, she didn't understand their clan at all which was no fault of her own.

"Well that deer and that room are special in our house Tayuya. That room belonged to Shikaku's father Shikajiro. He was one of the most well respected members of the Nara clan and one of the best deer raisers. Our house is practically littered with his books on medicine and deer raising." Yoshino paused for a moment as if respecting his memory. "He lost his life in the last great war when Iwa nins broke into our clans territory to attack Konoha, he had repelled their advances and defending our families. That deers head in your room came from a great deer who was at the time was the alpha deer of its herd. I remember it was a massive deer Shikajiro used to raise specially and on that night when Iwa attacked it gave its life protecting Shikajiro from their attacks so he could drive them off...my husband and I still tell Shikamaru about his grandfathers courage and the necessity of raising strong healthy deer but he hasn't taken that well to the deer raising side of our family like we had hopped but he still is courageous non the less." When Yoshino had finished explaining she looked over to see if her house guest had been paying attention and to her surprise the young red head was actually focused on her.

Tayuya contemplated the information deeply. She had assumed the whole clan were a bunch of lazy, smell like animal shit deer fuckers. The fact that they actually had a deep family history surprised her and deep down she could feel a sting of enviousness towards them...she had no family history, no clan to call her own. All she had were bitterness and bad memories. Her first instinct was to dismiss the rats mothers story as a pile of shit and screw tending to the retarded animals but as she was about to open her mouth and do so but she had suddenly stopped. She could feel the cycle of her life repeating again, someone would try and confide in her and she automatically pushed them away or beat them away...or killed them. She hated getting close to anyone when it wasn't a necessity.

"Is something wrong Tayuya?" Yoshino asked taking a few steps closer to her and staring the young girl in the eyes with motherly concern.

As Tayuya removed her self from her abyss of dark thoughts and looked up at the voice calling out to her, she saw the face of a long forgotten woman blur and mix with Yoshino's for only a split moment.

"Okaasan..." Tayuya whispered to her self slowly.

"What was that?" Yoshino asked confused.

"I-it was nothing." Tayuya replied slightly flustered and embarrassed. A heavy silence set in between the two women. Sensing this Tayuya spook up before the house wife could say anything that would cause her to snap on her. "I'm sorry I said those things, I meant no disrespect."

Upon hearing that Yoshino positively glowed and smiled warmly at the young girl. "Thank you Tayuya." Before the former Sound nin could say anything back she felt hot breath against her hand, looking over it was a young fawn sniffing her. A grouping of deer had exited the surrounding woods and greeted their visitors unbeknown to them.

"Ohh for Kami's sake I forgot all about taking care of them, here Tayuya take this bag and feed which ever deers want some food and if you like use this brush to clean them." Yoshino spoke quickly as she handed a large sack of various foods to Tayuya.

"Why do they need all this stuff, theirs plenty of grass and crap around here for them." Tayuya protested as she watched the house wife unpack a took kit on a near by rock.

"Well deers are a lot like people, they can be especially picky about what they eat so we make sure to feed them the best of everything.."

" Spoiling pigs with jewels when mud is well enough." Tayuya thought to her self as she kept her distance from the deers and held food out to them.

The sun set high into the sky as both women set about their tasks. Tayuya had distributed food and brushed their fur though it took awhile for Yoshino to teach her the proper way to comb the animals. She couldn't help that she combed with to much force in the beginning. Yoshino tended to the more experienced task of removing antlers off the male deers once she had determined if they were ready to be removed yet.

"You too look like your having fun." Shikaku's voice called out to the busy pair as he walked up to them wearing his traditional yakata. "The deer haven't been giving you any trouble I hope?" He directed his question towards Tayuya mainly.

"No." She answered carefully. Something about the rats father rubbed her the wrong way. It was his whole damn presence.

"Well thats great to hear, some of the older deer tend to be temperamental about who tends to them." He said matter-of-fact to her calmly before turning to his wife. "Shikamaru is going to be a bit late coming home, Chouji was just released out of the hospital today so we can expect him over for dinner tonight." He finished with a laugh as he saw both joy and horror in his wifes face at the news.

"Good heavens we don't have nearly enough food ready!" Yoshino screamed as she hastily packed up her belongings and made a mad dash to the house leaving Tayuya with the well aged man.

"Honey!" He quickly called out stopping her at the back door entrance. "Asuma-sensei and Ino will most likely be over too to celebrate so lets bring out the good stuff." As he finished his words he could make out a rushed nod from her before she ducked into the house. These were one of the rare times when he didn't need to worry about being nagged, anything that involved cooking was her expertise and well the Nara males were notorious for bing culinary inept so there was no sense in her nagging at him.

"Will you be joining us for dinner tonight Tayuya?" He casually turned his head to face her as she grabbed the now empty sack of deer food and held it subconsciously with a tight grip.

"That Chouji is his teammate who was injured by MY team right?" She stressed sarcastically then paused to let it sink in before continuing. "And Ino is also his teammate and I am guessing Asuma is his sensei so what makes you think it would be a good idea?" To her words he only closed his eyes and nodded for a moment considering the obvious.

"It will be fine." Shikaku said calmly as he opened his eyes.

"What is your definition of fine?" Tayuya shot back coldly as her stare intensified into a infuriated glare. At her question he chuckled softly to himself before meeting her glare with his calm lazy eyes.

"You are an extremely intelligent person Tayuya." Shikaku stated throwing the red head off guard for a moment. "I cant promise things will be perfect, forgive and forget and all of that but I know Asuma-sensei and his pupils so I can promise you things will be fine." He studies the red head process this information for a moment before she reconnected her glare with his eyes.

"Fine huh?" Tayuya stated as she withdrew her self from arguing further with him. Shikaku gave her a soft smile content that she had understood the meaning behind his words.

"When you are ready feel free to come back inside and prepare for dinner." He turned and made his way to the house sensing that the former Sound nin remained in her original spot she had tended the deer in.

Tayuya watched him off slightly bewildered by the unique man. _"Could he tell I wanted to stay outside longer from the beginning...n_o_ that would be foolishness, he is just a drunk." _Tayuya dismissed that possibility and she took a few steps forward then paused as she looked down behind her to see that bag she had thought she had with in her grasp. "The hell?"

As Shikaku made his way to the door way and opened it he took one last look at his house guest now that he sensed her gaze was off him he witnessed her stare at the discarded food sack with complete bewilderment. "She didn't even notice she dropped it when we talked." Shikaku noted mentally.

Inside the Nara household Yoshino hurried to Shikaku to insist on his help getting ingredients ready, she simply didn't have enough time to prepare by her self. It was then she had noticed he was alone and slightly concerned as he walked slowly about the house in quiet contemplation.

"Honey where is Tayuya?" Her voice slightly panting as she carried a large sack of rice close to her chest. "Did something happen?" She asked with concern in her voice.

"She is out back." He stated simply as he walked to his wife and instinctively took the bag of rice from her. "She looked like she wanted to spend more time outside so I let her."

"Is she going to be joining us for dinner?" Yoshino inquired with genuine concern.

"I think she will." His reply dry sounding. "For better or worst we need to keep an eye on her." His last words had more of a concerned tone to them then mistrust Yoshino noted.

"What do you mean honey?"

"Have you noticed her having any muscle spasms since she first arrived at the house?"

"No never, she always seemed healthy...quiet but healthy." Yoshino noted after giving the matter some further thought.

"We will need to mention it to the Hokage when she requests a status report on her." Shikaku stated as he took another bag of rice out from a closet and set it on the table. "She doesn't seem the type to open up about something like that on her own."

"She will eventually." Yoshino stated with a genuine smile towards the girls development. Besides that she is a big help with the chores unlike a certain somebody around here." Yoshino threatened as she knelt down to open a cubbed for cooking utensils. Seeing this Shikaku took a few cautious steps behind her.

"Shikamaru isn't that bad, he has just been very busy." The Nara husband said as he let his hand reach down behind her apron knots and caressed her behind only to have his hand hit bluntly with a ladle. "Owch dear!" He rubbed his hand lightly.

"Not now dear." Her face reddened with embarrassment by her husbands advances. "And besides who said I was talking about Shikamaru hmmm?" Pointing the ladle in his direction.

"S-sorry dear." Was his only response as he went back to helping prepare the meal in the silence that had set in between the two.

The sun had already begun to set out side changing the bright blue sky into a soft shade of orange and hues. The winds breeze blew softly between the forest tree's that comprised the Nara clans back yard and blew softly over the former Oto nins skin as she lay on the blades of grass and stare absent mildly into the colors of the sky. Dinner she could tell would be prepared soon as the sweet aroma of both foods she was familiar with as well as the smells of food she wasn't filled the air in a tapestry that began to tantalize her taste buds and warrant protest from her stomach as she lay there. As hungry as she was she had decided against going to dinner, she simply didn't have the stomach for dealing with so many potential enemies at once. She could simply sleep in and grab the left overs later tonight if she wanted too she had rationalized to her self.

"You plan on sleeping with the deers tonight?" Shikamaru's dull voice called out snapping the young girl from her peaceful immersion with nature.

"What the hell do you want, I thought you would be busy catering to your loser friends?" Her voice clearly aggravated by the disruption of her peace.

"Ino needed to close up shop for her mom and sensei is taking Chouji out to eat." Shikamaru simply stated and he rested himself against a large rock parallel to the red head as he gazed up into the sky.

"Isn't your family making food for the bastard as we speak?!" her voice held a slight bewilderment that caused Shikamaru to smile for a moment.

"Chouji enjoys eating and he has had nothing but hospital food for the past week so were spoiling him a bit."

"Fucking fatass." Tayuya responded as she looked away from the chunins direction and stared at the same sky with him.

"You always judge people by their appearances?" His voice a little more serious then usual as she had just insulted his best friend.

"Everyone does it." Tayuya stated simply as she remembered back to her training to become one of Orochimaru's elites and how she always needed to train harder to prove she was the better ninja to both male and female alike. "People always judge you on your appearance, your speech and your personality since the first moment they meet you, thats just how it fucking is in life."

Shikamaru leaned off the rock and stared at the girl for a moment, she honestly believed there was no good in any one.

"I can see where you are right." He said catching the girls attention causing her to lift her self off the ground to smirk victoriously in his face. "But theres always more to people then you can see in a glance, some for the better and some for the worst."

"Typical bullshit from someone who doesn't understand how this world works." She waved him off as another goody goody lecturer like his father.

"Its fine with me if you don't wanna believe me but I can give you a pretty good example of a case where there is more to a person then they would like to let on." He set the bait.

"Try me shit head!" And he took it.

"Well if I were just to look at you I would see a troublesome girl who didn't give a damn about anyone." He stated flatly earning the girls ire.

"There had better be a fucking point to this!" She demanded as she straightened her posture to glare him down.

"Those four stones over there." Shikamaru pointed behind the girl at four ordinary rocks that were placed in a straight line slightly separated from each other.

"What about them shit head, I got bored out here is all." She defended herself honestly.

"Their tombstones for your teammates." To his words Shikamaru actually saw her blink a few times in surprise.

"What makes you think that, I don't miss those fuckers!" She defended her self loudly causing Shikamaru to winch and regret trying to prove a point to such a stubborn woman.

"I never said you did to begin with." He rose to his feet and placed his hands in his pocket as he began to walk back to the house. It was a mistake on his part to try and talk to such an unstable and troublesome person like her.

"Thats it coward, your just going to walk away again!?" Her loud yelling getting the best of her as she taunted him to turn around. "For once finish the shit you start with me!"

"What do you want me to say Sound girl, you want me to tell you how you should feel and think?" His harsh tone took her off guard for a moment. "You don't need that, your more then capable of that since you have experienced your own life first hand." He turned to walk away once again before stopping as he only heard silence behind him due to his words. "Come to dinner or don't, we wont force you one way or the other." He spook calmly as he brushed off the tension that had risen between them. "Your intelligent enough to make your own decisions."

With that he was gone while Tayuya stood in the center of the Nara back yard alone, enraged and extremely frustrated with no one to vent on. Turning around she saw the simple white stones she had in fact left as a small memorial for her comrades. The rat had seen right through her and it infuriated the young kunoichi to no ends. Raising her fist she punched the ground in front of the stones causing them to wobble in place.

"BAKKA!" Her yell was inwardly directed to her self more then the rat. "Am I really that obvious to him!" She spoke to the grass that lay before her face as if it secretly held an answer.

For as long as she could remember people always retained their narrow minded perceptions of the foul mouthed girl. She was a vulgar bitch raised off the streets because she wasn't worth taking care of, she was stupid and uneducated. Filthy in both body and mouth as she had participated in unladylike activities and spoke like a sailor on shore leave. The only people who saw passed these things were Orochimaru who saw the potential the girl possessed and now...THESE people!

Tayuya sat back and simply listened to the soft melody of the wind as it blew through her hair and calmed her of her growing rage. Maybe each of them meant the words they spoke to her. Each member of the Nara family treated her as something more then a crude enemy undeserving to be let out into the light of the day.

"Enough..." She shook her head trying to break away from her thoughts. "I'm hungry as hell." She declared to her self aloud as she pushed her self off the ground and made her way into the house as she decided to prepare for the nights festivities. As she neared the bathroom to clean up she noticed the black haired chunin sitting on the couch turn his face to look back at her slightly surprised.

"What, I cant clean up to eat or something?"

Shikamaru simply gave her a slight smile before she ignored him and shut the bathroom door leaving him alone once again in the main Nara living room. He soon heard the sounds of running water coming from the shower head.

"This is going to be one heck of a troublesome night." He said aloud as he stared up at the ceiling while listening to the clicks and clang of silver ware his parents prepared the table with in the other room. "One heck of a troublesome night." He repeated for good measure as he closed his eyes in preparation to the inevitable mayhem that would certainly ensue.

Else where outside the land of Fires boarders.

"Are we almost there ero sensei?" Naruto asked for what felt like the sixteenth time today to Jiraiya and Idate who both had had enough with the blonds constant questions.

"We weren't there the last time you asked us and that was then minutes ago Naruto!" Idate snapped for what felt like the fifth time today to Naruto and the perverted sannin.

"Hey you don't have to follow us all the way to Konoha so why stick around?" the young blond defended himself as Jiraiya simply sighed and allowed the two to bicker between themselves.

"Hey I got business in Konoha got it, I thought I would check up on my older brother and besides for some reason I thought I would hang out with an old friend but then I was reminded of just how damn annoying you can be!"

"Yeah what ever running man." Naruto turned his face away as he crossed both his hands behind his head and picked up speed to walk beside Jiraiya who made every effort to clear some distance between the two teens.

"You been really quiet ero sensei, something wrong?" Naruto asked innocently which only strengthened the migraine the sannin had pounding with in his head due to the blond.

"Fourth give me strength." He mentally prayed as he turned to the sheepish smile that adorned the teens face. "We wont reach Konoha till morning Naruto and I would like to rest for the night, somewhere preferably with a hot spring." He added with a perverted grin.

"Well what about that place over there!" Naruto pointed to a building that began to show it self over the horizon.

"Ahhh the Kabuki Inn!" Jiraiya explained excitedly as he finally had reached one of his favorite trade post ins in the land of rice fields.

"Wow for someone who calls him self a hermit you know know a lot of social places." Naruto chastised the sage openly who only took the insult in stride.

"As a sannin of the Leaf village it is my duty to visit all the resting establishments to make sure they are safe for our people to stay at!" He boasted loudly causing Naruto and Idate to deadpan at his obviously false excuse. He then proceeded to job joyfully up the road to the Inn forcing Naruto and Idate to catch up.

"Geeze Ero Sensei cant you at least control your self while company is around?" Naruto pleaded to no avail as he reached the door with a lecherous smile.

"This Inn is famous for its soothing out door hot springs and beautiful attendants!" Jiraiya continued on as he reached for the door handle and entered leaving the two teens in his dust.

"He is always like thi huhs Naruto?" Idate asked slowly rurning his head to see the blond lower his to the ground.

"Only when he is acting perverted which is allways!" Naruto exclained as he trudgingly followed his sensei into the Inn.

* * *


End file.
